


Genesis

by DistantSkyKing



Category: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon | Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon
Genre: Angst, Drama, F/F, Fluff, Romance, originally posted on FFnet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-09
Updated: 2016-05-09
Packaged: 2018-06-07 10:39:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 33,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6800395
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DistantSkyKing/pseuds/DistantSkyKing
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Everyone's favorite lesbians meet and fall in love in the Moonkingdom amid fun, weird, and tragic circumstances.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was originally written and posted on ffnet in 2000-2001 during the original fandom's heyday. With the advent of Sailor Moon Crystal, new fans have been finding it, so I thought I'd make it easier on everyone and move it here.
> 
> I feel a little conflicted about posting it because it was written so long ago, during an entirely different decade for an entirely different audience, and it clearly shows my inexperience at the time both in writing and as a human being, but I think it's held up pretty well. The characters are written intelligently, and the prose is good, even though it's not my style anymore, and I can't help being fond of it. So, welcome, new readers, and hello again, old friends!

The Princess of Uranus rolled over and winced at the vile sunlight streaming through her open chamber window. The birds in the trees outside chirped and twittered madly in the glory of morning, heralding the dawning of a new day. If only the Princess could share in their excitement. She was normally up before the birds and out the door wandering the vast grounds in the  
morning mist, but not today. Oh no.

She lay back on her bed, staring blankly at the white marble ceiling above her, and tried to recall her duties for the day. Get out of bed, wash up, get dressed, greet the Queen, then off to class, her music lesson and eventually onto some free time. No free time today, though, she remembered darkly. Directly after her music lesson she was to prepare for a state dinner honoring the royal family from Neptune. What did she care about another stuffy family dropping their snobby kid into the Queen's lap? The other four already present were all vacant and frilly, and the last thing she wanted was for another clone to have the run of the Palace. She silently cursed the day her family left her with such fools.

At least she had her brother, Orion. He was different. Like her, he resented being abandoned by their parents to such a dull existence, but unlike his sister, he adapted. He even went so far as to make friends with the other girls and flirted with them outrageously. And being the only available male of age within a five-mile radius, they flirted back. Because of the Princess's short blonde hair and boyish good looks and wardrobe, they assumed she was a boy too and tried mercilessly to win her to their side, but she rather impolitely informed them she was female, and they backed off. Only the Queen's daughter was dense enough to try to engage her now, but she was safe: the Princess of the Moon was destined for young and handsome Prince Endymion. Uranus honestly didn't think he was that great, but from the way all the girls mooned over him there must have been something she was missing. Yeah, a complete lack of interest in men altogether, she snorted to herself. If only they knew.

In fact, no one knew. She hadn't even told her brother, and he was the closest person in her life. As accepting as she knew him to be, she was never quite sure how and when to tell him, and every time she tried something came up. As for the other girls...It was more honest to say that Uranus avoided them because she didn't want them to treat her like an outcast. Sure, she thought they were cute. A couple of them even classified as beautiful, but she didn't want a brainless chit like them. Only the Princess of Mercury showed any semblance of intelligence, but Uranus knew that if she were to approach her she'd run screaming. The other girls knew that she was different, but attributed it to the fact that the only role model she had and the only available boy around was her own gorgeous twin brother, Orion. Part of that may have been true, but the real reason was that she preferred girls to boys.

The Princess of Uranus sighed and rolled out of bed, shivering at the chilly marble under her feet. She gingerly padded across the room to her closet and chose her clothing for the day: A nice white button-down shirt and navy blue slacks. Functional but sharp. Queen Serenity and her teachers wouldn't like it, but she wasn't looking for their approval. She rather unceremoniously pulled on her clothing and wandered into the bathroom. As she raised the comb to her mass of thick and tangled blonde locks, she gazed disgustedly at her reflection in the mirror and sighed. 

God had cursed her by giving her a body that didn't match her mind, and she resented it. Already at fourteen years of age the form she kept concealed under men's clothing was beginning to blossom into something the opposite sex would cry over. She was taller than most other girls and matched height with the boys, and her deep green eyes were both sharp and smoldering. Her other facial features were handsomely androgynous, but that wasn't the problem. The problem lay with her hard to conceal breasts and curves. Although her body showed that she was becoming a woman, she certainly didn't feel like one.

She finished with her hair and flung the comb into the sink.

Another tedious day.

*

Orion was waiting for her outside her chamber door.

"You're late this morning," he noted, nodding his good morning.

"So are you."

His face, which looked so much like her own, flushed a bit. "Well, uh, Venus had something she wanted to show me."

Uranus smiled slyly at his admission. "Oh, I'm sure she did," she replied.

Her brother jammed his fists into his pockets and coughed uncomfortably. "Easy for you," he grumbled. "The only single guy around here is me. It's not like there's anyone around for you to flirt with."

She didn't plan on it happening like this, but Uranus decided it was just as good a time to tell him as any. Besides, with their schooling and training picking up, who knew when she'd have another chance to tell him who she really was?

"Orion," she began uncertainly. "I don't--"

"Princess Uranus!" a stern voice came from behind.

Another opportunity out the window.

"Princess Uranus, what do you think you are wearing?" the voice said again. It's possessor proved itself to be a rather short and squat middle-aged woman with hard, unforgiving eyes and a mouth so drawn and tight Uranus often wondered how she was even able to speak, let alone eat to keep herself alive. Intravenous, most likely.

"It's what I usually wear, Madam Delta," she replied patiently.

"Idiot child," the woman commented rudely. "Don't you know that this is a special day? The royal family from Neptune is here and you can't face them looking like that!"

Uranus blinked and seemed to notice her brother's formal attire for the first time. His usual slacks and shirt were replaced with a freshly pressed charcoal suit and tie. It looked rather good on him.

"Well?" Madam Delta demanded impatiently. "What are you waiting for? Go change!" She forced open the door to Uranus's chamber and stood waiting for the princess to enter, arms crossed over her ample breasts.

Uranus bowed her head in defeat and sulked into her room, Orion following her close behind.

"I'll make sure she changes," Orion said to Madam Delta's questioning glare. The beast nodded, satisfied, and closed the door.

Orion waited for the explosion, and was not disappointed when it came.

"Who does she think she is, pushing me around like that?" Uranus demanded of her brother angrily.

"She's the head of the House, sis," he replied levelly. "She has the Queen's authority."

"Fuck her authority!" She started pacing the room.

The Prince heaved a sigh. His sister could be difficult over certain things, but this one was just plain silly. How hard was it to dress a little nicer?

"You can't just throw on a suit coat and a tie?" he asked.

Uranus stopped her angry pacing and shot her brother an icy look. "Do you know how long it took me to convince the Queen to let me wear pants at all?" she asked him.

Orion frowned. "I see," he replied. He knew her view on dresses and knew better than to suggest one, lest he find his head separated from his shoulders. "I think I have an extra that may fit you," he said. "Come on."

Moments later the Princess of Uranus shrugged herself into a navy blue coat that matched her slacks as if they were tailored together. She stood in front of her brother's full-length mirror and admired her appearance.

"It's perfect!" she exclaimed.

Orion stood back and examined his sister from a slight distance. She really did look good. He smiled slightly as he imagined her as a real boy, and quite possibly competition for the other girls' attention.

"You know, if you keep dressing like this boys will never notice you," he said thoughtfully.

"I don't care if they do or not," Uranus responded indignantly. "They're not very important."

"Thanks," he said dryly.

"Anytime."

Orion checked his watch and gave a low whistle. "Shit, we're late," he said. "We'd better get going."

Uranus nodded and grabbed a necktie from her brother's armoire as they left the room.

"I hope the Queen doesn't freak out seeing you like this," Orion muttered to her as they hurried down the marble hall.

His sister shrugged. "I've shocked her with worse before," she told him and winked.

The tutors gave a start when the Princess of Uranus arrived to class looking almost exactly like her brother. Truth to tell, none of them could really distinguish between the two and made it through the classes by randomly calling out either Uranus or Orion, trying to vainly discover who was who. The other Princesses could tell the difference but still regarded Uranus appreciatively, despite knowing her true identity.

The one person in class who didn't seem to notice anything astray didn't know any better because she was new.

Uranus noticed her sitting across the room immediately; almost as immediately as her brother.

"Wow, she's--" Orion breathed.

"--gorgeous," Uranus finished. And she was. The young lady in question looked up at them with beautiful blue eyes, as if she'd read their thoughts. Her wavy locks of aqua colored hair was odd, yet looked extremely natural perched atop her perfectly shaped head. Her facial features were small and delicate, and a gentle smile played at her lips. Uranus felt an instant attraction to her. It was an odd feeling, especially since she had never felt that way toward any of the other girls, but justifiably so: This new girl blew them all out of the water.

"I have to meet her," Orion scrawled on a piece of paper in his sister's open notebook.

Me too, she thought.

"Class, this is the Princess of Neptune," their grizzled old teacher announced, gesturing toward the new beauty.

Great, another princess, Uranus thought darkly. Probably just as brainless as the other girls.

"She will be attending classes with us from now on," the teacher drawled on, but Uranus didn't hear him. She was lost, gazing at the Princess of Neptune.

The new girl looked up again and caught Uranus's gaze and offered her a wink. Uranus flushed slightly and shifted her eyes back toward the front of the classroom. An elbow suddenly caught her in the ribs.

"Did you see that?" the notebook paper now read. "She winked at me!"

Uranus frowned at her brother's message and tore the sheet out of her notebook. So she wasn't winking at her after all. It was foolish to think she was. Besides, what chance did she have? She was female. No self-respecting well-bred princess would ever acknowledge her in that way. But wasn't she a princess, too? She respected herself enough to be true to her real feelings, much more than the others, she suspected. But why was she different? Once again she thought about the joke God was playing on her. Very funny, old man. Very funny, indeed. Uranus spent the rest of her class time in silent turmoil.

*

Her piano lesson passed pretty much in the same manner. Frustrated with her fumbling fingers and faltering technique, the instructor sent her away, scolding her for not practicing. What Uranus didn't tell her was that she had practiced, very hard in fact, but her mind was occupied with something else. A much deeper and more tedious task. What exactly was she? She asked herself that question many times that day and she was nowhere near a pleasant answer. The only thing she came up with so far was that she was a freak, an abomination. She was a woman who preferred other women to men. That wasn't the way of royalty. She was expected to become a graceful ruler and marry a handsome young man and produce children by the dozens. She shuddered at the thought of a man touching her in an intimate manner, and it made her cringe inside to even conceive a child. If she couldn't bring herself to marry a man and have  
children, what was she?

She was the Princess of Uranus, the most confused human being in the entire universe.

She lay on her back in the royal gardens underneath her favorite oak tree, her right arm across her forehead, borrowed suit coat on the lush grass a couple feet away. She gazed thoughtfully into the leafy green expanse above her, trying vainly to will her torrid thoughts to cease for just a moment. She was giving herself a headache.

What am I?

"Hello?" a sweet voice questioned.

Uranus looked up, startled. Everyone knew to leave her alone when they spotted her under the tree. Everyone, that is, except for the new girl.

Wide green eyes met deep blue as she sat up, her heart racing. She was even more beautiful close up.

The Princess of Neptune smiled gently. "I noticed you watching me in class today," she said mildly. "I wanted to introduce myself."

So it was her she had winked at! Uranus's heart rate quickened.

"May I sit down?" the aqua-haired beauty asked.

The other girl blinked in surprise and shook herself out of her daze. "Of course," she managed to croak.

Neptune gracefully seated herself next to Uranus and gently smoothed the wrinkles out of her long blue skirt. "I'm the Princess of Neptune," she said warmly, extending her hand.

Uranus took it apprehensively and gave it a quick shake. "Uranus," she replied.

"And Orion is your brother?" she asked.

The blonde's heart sank. So she was just going to ask about her brother. Damn her luck.

"I only ask because you two look like twins, and I thought the only ones named after the ruling planets were female," Neptune explained.

Uranus nodded, dumbstruck.

"Since the teacher apparently couldn't figure out who was who, I decided to investigate myself," she continued, smiling. "I'm very pleased to meet you, Princess Uranus."

"Uh, likewise," she stammered. It was then that she realized their hands were still clasped together, but they weren't shaking. She withdrew hers, blushing slightly.

Neptune appeared not to notice. "Which room is yours?" she asked.

Damn, the girl was full of questions. But you're enjoying it, she chided herself silently.

"The fourth on the right, in the marble wing," she told her.

"The fourth? That's number seven, right? I'm in number five. It looks like we're going to be neighbors!"

Uranus hadn't counted on this. She knew the other girl would have to be lodged somewhere but she didn't think it would be the room adjacent to her own. A room which, she remembered, shared and was adjoined by a bathroom. Not only would she have to see the gorgeous princess during class and social functions, but she'd be forced to see her every time she left her room or needed to shower. A wicked joke, indeed.

"Looks like."

Neptune nodded enthusiastically and smiled at her again.

God, she was gorgeous when she did that.

Just then, Orion appeared around the hedge. "There you are!" he exclaimed upon seeing his sister and the object of his desire seated together under the oak. "Aren't you going to introduce me?" he asked.

"Princess Neptune, this is my brother Orion, the Prince of Uranus," the blonde reported dutifully. "He's an all right guy, but watch out: He can charm the birds right out of the sky."

Orion shot her an unamused glare and turned his attention back to the gorgeous creature before him. "It's a great pleasure to meet you, my lady," he drawled, kissing the back of her hand.

Uranus rolled her eyes.

Neptune frowned slightly at the young man and slowly slid her hand from his grasp. Regaining her composure enough to manage a slight smile, she stood and brushed the grass from her skirt. "It was nice meeting you," she told Orion, "but I am unfortunately late for my session with the Queen." She turned to Uranus and smiled genuinely this time. "I'm glad we're to be neighbors," she said, "and hopefully friends."

"Good luck," Orion teased. "She doesn't make friends easily."

Both girls glared at him levelly.

"I really must be going," Neptune said again. "We'll meet again soon." She turned and walked gracefully away from them, waving slightly as she left.

"She really is something," Orion breathed, watching her go.

Uranus was disgusted. "You're not even interested in her mind or personality, are you?"

"What?"

"You heard what I said. You only want her for her body. Admit it."

Orion shrugged. "She seemed like a cold fish to me," he said. "What is there left to admire but her body?"

The blonde girl suddenly felt a rage well up inside her the likes of which she'd never felt before. She leaped to her feet, and before she could stop herself, punched her brother square in the jaw. The blow was powerful and knocked him to the ground, sending his books sprawling on the grass. A couple courtiers looked up from their sojourn by the pond.

"What was that for?" Orion demanded, rubbing his jaw. "That really hurt!"

"You can be such an ass sometimes," Uranus muttered darkly. She swept up her coat and marched back to her room, leaving her brother stunned and speechless in the grass.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember when we all wrote fic in Notepad and had to format it by hand? I had to end/del, end/del, end/del soooooo many times just now. Thanks, ffnet. You were swell.


	2. Chapter 2

Word of the fight spread faster than wild fire and soon Madame Delta was pounding on Uranus's door. The girl paid no heed to the insistent knocking; she was completely lost in thought. She sat on the marble sill of her window, one leg bent and pulled against her chest, the other outstretched before her. She held her right hand in front of her, the one that struck her brother, examining it thoroughly. It amazed her that she could do such a thing with her hands. With her fresh, clean hands, which were now dirty with familial betrayal. If only she knew how often in the future she would sit the exact same way doing the exact same activity.

She turned her hand over and inspected her knuckles. They were red from the blow and a little bruised, but it didn't hurt. In fact, in her haze of anger she hadn't even felt a thing. It shocked her to find that she was capable of doing harm to another human being without considering the consequences of her actions and feeling the effects later. She had a feeling it was very dangerous, yet it had seemed so natural.

A light hand on her shoulder snapped her out of her reverie and she glanced back to find Princess Neptune watching her, concern pooling in her deep blue eyes.

"Are you all right?" she asked quietly.

Uranus looked around the room, confused. "How did you--"

"The bathroom," the aqua-haired girl said, seating herself across from the blonde on the windowsill. "What's wrong with your hand?"

The other girl blushed slightly and removed her hand from sight. "Nothing," she replied quietly.

"Someone's knocking on your door," she informed her calmly.

Uranus suddenly noticed the sound and groaned inwardly. This was not going to be pretty.

The knocking suddenly stopped. The two girls watched the door warily, expecting someone to break it down and enter forcefully. A voice came instead.

"Princess Uranus, "I know you're in there," the familiar voice said gently. "It's the Queen. Please open the door."

Uranus closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the wall. "You might not want to be here when the Queen comes in," she sighed. "This probably isn't going to be enjoyable."

"I don't mind," Neptune replied.

You will when you find out why I flattened my brother, she thought to herself as she crossed the room and unbolted the door. She opened it and immediately stepped aside, silently returning to her seat on the windowsill.

The Queen appeared in the doorway but did not enter.

"I have never seen such a blatant disregard for respect in my life!" Madam Delta sputtered from behind the Queen.

"Hush, Madam Delta," the Queen said.

The large woman's face reddened considerably, but she became silent.

"Prince Orion, please come here."

A rather ashamed prince stepped forward and into the room as the Queen motioned him. She followed him inside.

"Close the door," she instructed.

Orion did as he was told.

Princess Neptune switched her attention from the brooding blonde before her to the one with the large bruise forming on the left side of his face and gasped. So that was what had happened to her hand. She stood quickly as the Queen came forward, and although she was rushed, she managed a rather graceful curtsey.

"Your Majesty," she greeted.

"Princess Neptune," the Queen acknowledged in turn. "Princess Uranus," she addressed the other girl.

Uranus stood slowly and nodded.

"Would you care to explain to me what happened this afternoon?" the lovely Queen questioned.

Just as she was about to open her mouth, Orion cut in. "It wasn't her fault, Majesty," he hastily began. "I said something disrespectful and--"

The Queen held up an elegant hand for silence, her eyes still locked on the miserable girl before her. "Uranus," she intoned.

"It's as he said, your Majesty," she said quietly. "He made a disrespectful remark, and I...I..."

"What did he say, Uranus?" she pressed.

The two blondes blanched visibly as they exchanged a worried glance.

"I--I'd rather not say," Uranus said nervously.

The Queen laid a reassuring hand on her ward's shoulder. "I must know, Uranus," she told her gently. "We must set things to rights."

Uranus quailed. How could she say such a thing in front of Neptune? She'd think her a brute and her brother a pervert. She had to share a bathroom with her, after all. She looked up and the Queen's eyes told her she had no choice. She hung her head and sighed. Always a joke.

"He said that Princess Neptune was a cold fish and could only be admired for her body," she admitted quietly, "so I hit him."

Neptune's eyes widened, as did the Queen's.

"Is this true, Orion?" the monarch questioned, shifting her now steely gaze upon the chastened young man.

"Yes, your Majesty," he murmured.

"Princess Neptune has many admirable qualities, my young prince," the Queen told him. "Very much unlike the company she keeps. I will not tolerate slander or brutality in my court. I suggest you apologize to one another at once."

Orion turned to Princess Neptune and shifted uncomfortably. "I apologize for saying what I did," he managed quietly. "I was wrong. I hope you can forgive me."

The aqua-haired girl nodded slowly, accepting his carefully chosen words.

The Queen stared at the other girl expectantly. "Uranus," she cued.

Uranus looked at her brother steadily, anger still seething in her bright green eyes. She wasn't going to be as quick as the Queen and Neptune were to forgive him, but they all expected something. Half truths were better than nothing.

"I'm sorry for how I reacted," she said truthfully. She knew that violence wasn't the answer even though it was often required.

The Queen nodded, satisfied. "I trust this will never happen again," she stated, looking pointedly at the two blondes. They nodded in response. "You are excused, Orion," she said then. "Princess Neptune, I would like to speak to Uranus alone."

The lovely young girl nodded and left via the same route she took: through the bathroom.

Uranus watched her go, wishing she hadn't left her alone with the Queen. She expected to be punished for her deed, but had no idea her punishment would come from the Queen herself.

"Uranus," she began, taking a seat on the windowsill, "Both law and motherly instincts command me to punish you for striking your brother."

This wasn't looking good.

"I cannot condone your behavior, but I certainly cannot condemn you for it, either."

What was this?

"You reacted to protect someone from harm," she continued, "which is exactly what you are here to learn through your classes and senshi training. I want all my girls to grow up to be strong of heart and body. You're just a bit ahead of the others," she chuckled.

"You're not angry with me?" Uranus asked hesitantly.

"No, child, I'm not angry. I'm actually quite relieved. I was worried that you wouldn't get along with Princess Neptune, but judging from how you reacted to your brother's inappropriate comment I'd say you're fast friends." The Queen stood and regarded her tomboyish ward lovingly and ran a slender-fingered hand through her blonde hair. "Of all my girls, you are the most distant to me, Uranus," she intoned quietly. "Someday you will find someone who will love and understand you more than you could know. Promise me that when that day arrives you will tell me."

The Queen's words puzzled her, but she nodded her assent. The beautiful monarch rarely wasted words and she knew to listen to whatever wisdom she had to share. Though the meaning of her speech was lost to her at present, she was sure she'd know it soon enough.

"Thank you, your Majesty."

Queen Serenity smiled slightly and gracefully slipped out of Uranus's room, leaving her to mull over the events of the day.

*

The dinner hosted in honor of the royal family from Neptune passed unmercifully slow. Uranus couldn't bear the idle chatter and hollow pleasantries exchanged among the patrons and wished direly to be elsewhere, anywhere but where she actually sat. She was especially uncomfortable in the fluffy dress that Madame Delta had forced her into wearing on pain of death. While it showed off her feminine qualities quite well, she neither wanted to look nor feel feminine. Tall and muscular, she looked extremely different from all the other girls, and the fact that the color and style of the dress accented her sharp green eyes and short blonde hair brought her more attention than she desired. She was almost exotic. She garnered more than one approving gaze from the young men present but shot them all down with a withering glare.

The other girls would tease her later, that was sure. And definitely her brother. He would be the worst of all. But Neptune...what did Neptune think? And why did she care?

She risked a glance to the end of the table where the Princess of Neptune was seated with her parents. Much to her curiosity, the young princess's chair was vacant. It wasn't like a well-bred lady of stature to leave the presence of the Queen, especially since no one else had seemed to notice. Where could she have gone?

Just then she felt a tug at her sleeve. Uranus looked over her shoulder and was shocked to find Princess Neptune standing there.

"You looked bored," she whispered. "Let's go."

Uranus cast a roving glance around the table to be sure no one was watching and quietly slid out of her chair. She followed the aqua-haired girl out of the banquet hall and into a much quieter lounge around the corner.

"This is where you take over," Neptune instructed quietly. "I don't know a thing about this palace."

Uranus nodded, grinning, and quickly led the girl out of the lounge and down the hall. They sneaked past a couple armed guards by the front gate, and headed around the corner to a rarely used maid's passage. Uranus stopped before the door and quietly pulled it open, exposing a dark corridor beyond. She looked over her shoulder at Neptune, who was wide-eyed.

"Are you all right?" she asked.

The girl nodded dumbly and stared at the gaping darkness before them.

Uranus suddenly felt a small hand slip into hers and grip it tightly. She started at the unfamiliar touch and was about to protest, but the fear in the other girl's deep ocean eyes told her to endure. She squeezed her hand reassuringly and noticed how small and delicate it was; so soft and smooth and perfect, fitting for a princess as beautiful as she. Uranus swallowed hard and turned her gaze back to the corridor. Dammit, what had she gotten herself into?

She didn't have time to wonder any longer, for Madam Delta had spotted them. "Uranus! Princess Neptune! What in the world are you--"

"Come on!" Uranus yelled and pulled the surprised Neptune into the maid's corridor. The door slammed behind them, but they weren't about to take any chances. Uranus yanked the poor girl into action and half dragged her down the dark passage. She stumbled a bit over her dress and pulled the skirt of it up as she ran, keeping the other girl in check with her other hand.

"Where are we going?" Neptune panted as they passed a couple doors leading back to the main hall.

"Someplace special!" Uranus called back over her shoulder. She grinned, exhilarated by the wind passing through her hair as she ran and picked up speed. Admirably, Neptune kept her pace.Now this was a real adventure.

They came to an intersection and dashed to the left, heading north, and soon skidded to a halt in front of a rather dusty looking door. Uranus hadn't used this escape route since she was a child and was glad to find that it still existed. Not that anything ever really changed in the palace. She gave the door a shove and peered into the starlit garden before her. They were facing the north expanse of the garden, the direct opposite side from where Uranus's favorite oak grew. Their destination was still quite a ways.

"Uranus! You get back here this instant!" Madam Delta bellowed from the garden tier above them.

"Dammit! I thought they'd forgotten about this door!" the blonde swore and charged into action again. Neptune whooped as the other girl pulled her into the night. 

"Get them!" the red-faced Madam Delta fumed to the guards behind her.

The guards poured down the hill in pursuit of their young quarry.

How the Princess of Uranus was able to dodge the natural obstacles of the garden was beyond Neptune. If it wasn't for the blonde's iron grip she would have fallen behind and into the clutches of Madam Delta's guards long ago. She took the other girl's cue and ducked under some low-hanging branches. Where were they going, anyway? No matter: She trusted her new friend and knew the end result would be worth the effort.

She admired the girl. She was so confident and true to herself, and her beauty and strength made her quiver inside. She was sure Uranus hadn't noticed, but she was genuinely interested to her to the point where she found she was severely attracted to her. She had noticed the boyish blonde immediately in class and decided right then that she had to get to know her better. Such a mysterious aura she presented.

Her mind was yanked back into the present when Uranus dragged her to the ground and started pushing her through a small hole in the hedge before them. 

"Hurry!" the blonde hissed between clenched teeth.

Neptune grabbed hold of some grass in front of her and pulled herself through the hedge. Twigs and leaves threatened to snag and pull at her, but she managed to pass through unscathed. She stood and waited apprehensively, taking the moment to catch her breath. Uranus's golden head soon popped through the hedge and her long body followed suit. She too got to her feet but apparently didn't need to take a breather.

"Come on!" she urged again, and they were now running faster than before. They maintained their breakneck pace through the shallowly forested wood until Neptune faltered and nearly collapsed.

Uranus stopped and tried to help the other girl to her feet.

"I'm sorry," Neptune panted. "I can't...go...any..."

"It's all right," the blonde said, supporting the other's weight with her strong arms. "We're here."

Neptune heaved a sigh of relief and leaned into Uranus, completely exhausted. She felt the other girl stiffen and realized that she was making her rather uncomfortable by clinging to her so.

"Help me to the ground," she instructed.

Uranus complied and lowered her to the soft moss below. "Are you all right?" she asked worriedly.

Neptune nodded and smiled. "I'm fine. I just need to catch my breath." She looked up at the other girl and blushed furiously when she noticed the state of Uranus's dress. It was completely gone and only the highly revealing slip remained.

Uranus reddened considerably and hugged her arms about her body, trying in vain to cover herself up. "It got caught on the hedge," she muttered, nodding her head toward the direction from which they came. "I had to take it off otherwise the guards would have gotten me."

The aqua-haired girl smiled broadly and attempted to hide it behind her hand. A giggle escaped, however, followed by a louder chuckle, which then erupted into hysterical laughter. Neptune rolled to the ground, clutching her stomach as laugh after silvery laugh racked her trim little body.

"I don't see what's so funny," Uranus growled at her friend.

Tears were now streaming openly down the smaller girl's face as she honorably tried to suppress the amounting laughter within. "I'm sorry," she grated, "but--but--" Her resolve broke and she resumed her laughing, quickly reducing it to chuckling.

"Easy for you," the blonde muttered.

"Oh, Uranus," she gasped in between spasms, "had this been a real escape attempt, losing your dress to the enemy would have been noble."

Uranus reddened again. "I was caught up by the moment, okay? Those damn things are more of a nuisance than they're worth."

"Oh, I don't know," Neptune said, growing serious. "I thought you looked lovely." She could see her friend roll her green eyes in the darkness. "Don't be in such a huff," she told her. "I'm serious. Who would have known that under all those layers of men's clothing you had a body like that?"

"What?!"

"Honestly, you shouldn't deprive the young men of court the opportunity to see you. Don't be so selfish."

"I don't care if the men see me!" she replied heatedly, without thinking. "I'm not trying to win their affection! And what right have you to tell me how I look?"

"You mean to tell me no one's ever complimented you on your looks?" Neptune was aghast. How could anyone be around this gorgeous blonde and not tell her exactly what she was? Her tall, slender, muscular body and deep green eyes that seemed to penetrate one's soul, her silky ash blonde hair and perfectly rounded hips and breasts...and her face, so kind and hard all at once...who in the universe would dare to see her and not marvel at her beauty? The whole idea was absurd.

Uranus glared at her and slowly set herself on the moss beside her, her arms still wrapped about her body.

"No one has, have they?" Neptune pressed.

The blonde shook her head, puzzlement in her eyes. "Why would they?" she grumbled. "I mean, look at me. I make a better boy than I do a girl."

You'd be marvelous at either, Neptune thought to herself, then aloud, "Is that why you dress the way you do?"

She shrugged. "It didn't start that way. Back on my home planet my parents thought it would be a good idea to put me in public school rather than tutor me at home. Some sort of political move, I guess. Because I was taller than all the girls the uniforms didn't fit me, so I had to wear the boy's. I  
liked it, and after a while it felt natural to me. And it was easier to defend myself in pants than dresses," she finished with a devilish grin.

"You used to fight?" the other's girl's blue eyes were wide.

Uranus nodded and smiled at her unabashed interest. "I didn't have many friends," she explained. "The girls didn't understand me and the boys all thought I was a freak. I was the subject of many a jest and more than once found myself surrounded by a group of boys looking for a reason to fight." She looked at her friend and was surprised to find tears standing in her deep eyes. "What's wrong?" she asked.

Neptune wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand. "That's horrible," she sniffed. "You never fought back?"

"Never."

"Why not?"

"I knew I could take them all and I didn't want to hurt them," the blonde explained matter-of-factly. "It would be humiliating. Who wants to run home crying about how a girl beat them up?"

"But you hit your brother today."

Uranus's face darkened and she shifted her gaze to the ground before her. "That's the first and last time," she said quietly.

Neptune didn't know whether or not she should ask the next question, but she had to know the answer. "Why did you do it?" 

Green eyes met blue in a sharp and angry flash. "You're just full of questions today, aren't you?" Uranus demanded hotly.

The smaller girl was taken aback by her friend's fierce retort. "Why are you so angry?" she asked, her silver voice radiating a strange mix of calm and confusion. "I just want to know more about you."

The green eyes softened slightly and returned to inspecting the ground below. It embarrassed her to know that someone might actually be interested in her as a person instead of a court anomaly or troublemaker. "Not much to tell, really," Uranus murmured finally. She brought her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, effectively finding a way to hide the rest of her  
body from scrutiny.

Neptune shook her aqua head in disagreement, tossing her wavy locks about. "On the contrary, I find you quite interesting. Who else would have led me on a high-speed chase through the palace grounds to escape the clutches of the enemy, dodging deadly obstacles to only come to a dead end, and then shove me through a hole in the fence while losing her dress in the process all for the sake of rescuing me from an untimely demise due to sheer boredom?"

The blonde chuckled softly in spite of herself. "Well, when you put it that way..." She let it trail off. "Did you see the look on Madam Delta's face?" 

"It was all red and puffy!" Neptune giggled.

"I've never seen her so angry in my life! I thought she was choking to death!"

"You're going to wish I did," a deadly voice said from behind.

Uranus's green eyes went wide and she froze in her spot. Dread enveloped her body as she realized who the voice belonged to.

"Did you forget something?" Madam Delta asked, tossing Uranus's torn dress to the ground beside her. 

She looked at the rumpled cloth and groaned inwardly. How could she be so stupid as to leave her dress on the hedge? Wasn't she thinking? No, as a matter of fact, she wasn't, otherwise she wouldn't be sitting here half naked and about to be pummeled by a grizzly bear.

Neptune stood quickly and turned to the portly woman and her small assembly of royal guards. "Madam Delta, this is all my fault," she began. "I asked her to--"

Madam Delta cut her off with a stern look. "Princess Neptune, I expected better from you. A well-bred lady of your stature should not be reduced to lying to save her friend, unlike this ill-mannered mule of a girl. I fear she's been a bad influence on you already." She finished the last bit while looking pointedly at the back of her unruly charge.

The large woman's insults did not go unnoticed. Uranus's anger flared and she started to quietly seethe inside as she felt the monstrous eyes bore into the back of her blonde head. She closed her eyes and focused all her energy into restraining the urge to retaliate. Madam Delta wanted her to lose her temper and lash out, thus giving her a reason to bring her before the Queen and receive the punishment the woman most likely wanted her to receive for the day's earlier offense. She wasn't going to give her the satisfaction, but her body shook with the effort. Instead, clenching her fists, she calmly got to her feet and faced her captor, an insincere yet friendly smile playing on her lips.

"Good evening, Madam Delta," she greeted. "It is a lovely evening, isn't it?"

Madam Delta's jaw dropped in surprise but she recovered herself quickly. She eyed her ward suspiciously, wondering what little plan she had concocted in her mind. "I don't care how torn that dress is, but I won't have you going into the palace like that," she said, indicating the revealing slip she wore. "They know you're a girl because I've said so; they don't need to see it for themselves." She smirked to herself, fully expecting the princess to cover herself and blush in embarrassment, but it never came.

Uranus instead reached down and scooped up her dress, allowing the slip to flop open and reveal its contents to the suddenly flustered guards. They coughed politely and averted their eyes like good little soldiers, but Madam Delta gaped openly. Uranus grinned; the old mistress wasn't going to win this battle. She allowed the grin to fade into another smile as she straightened herself and looked at Madam Delta expectantly.

Neptune watched the whole exchange with something akin to amusement on her face. She realized that these little battles for dominance must have been common and marveled at the taller girl's bravery. She vaguely wondered who won the most, but figured no matter the outcome, Uranus most likely considered herself the victor.

Madam Delta's face twisted in fury and she reached out and snatched Uranus by the wrist. To her credit, the princess allowed herself to be led back to the palace with little resistance.

Neptune followed close behind, barely able to conceal her smile behind her slender hand. A brave, brave girl, indeed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The worst part about writing in Notepad was no spellcheck. I nearly went blind with my constant proof-reading.


	3. Chapter 3

To appease Madam Delta's wounded pride Princess Uranus was assigned a week's worth of laundry duty as her punishment. She accepted it gracefully, much to the large woman's angst. She didn't really mind the punishment; she was fast and could get it done quicker than most of the palace staff. After apologizing to Princess Neptune's confused parents she was sent directly to her chamber to "think over the seriousness of her reckless actions," according to Madam Delta. A midnight run through the palace grounds was hardly reckless, but she wasn't going to argue. Better to let sleeping dogs lie.

Back in her chamber she perched herself on the window seat in her usual position. She grinned into the darkness as she replayed the day's events in her mind. Madam Delta was furious with her and would most likely make the next couple weeks of her life a living hell, but it was well worth it. Only one thing troubled her, however. After spending the evening with the Princess of Neptune she was now quite positive that she was becoming more and more attracted to the aqua-haired beauty, and it scared her. It wasn't supposed to be that way; girls weren't supposed to like other girls, but there it was. She could deny it all she wanted but it wouldn't gain her anything. What was she to do? She couldn't very well act on her feelings. To do that would cause Neptune to be frightened of her, even hate her. If her feelings kept progressing at the rate they were it wouldn't be long before she was no longer satisfied with just being her friend. The worst part of it was she couldn't even tell anyone about her problem lest they turn on her. Just a joke.

"Why couldn't I have been born a boy?" she wondered aloud to her dark room. The room didn't answer. She didn't expect it to. Frustrated at how she could have been so stupid as to let her guard fall, she dropped her head onto her knees and heaved a sigh.

A light knock came at the bathroom door, followed by soft footsteps. Uranus sighed again; Neptune was the last person on the moon she wished to see at that moment.

"Am I disturbing you?" Neptune asked softly. "I wanted to see how you were doing."

Uranus looked up and glanced at the girl briefly. She was relieved to find that she was fully wrapped in a robe and not clad in the skimpy nightclothes that were all the rage among the palace women. Her emotions were in such turmoil she really didn't need her hormones throwing their weight about too.

She managed a polite smile. "I'm fine," she said. "Just a little tired is all."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'll leave, then." Neptune turned to go.

"No, wait!" Uranus urged. Dammit, what was she saying? Treacherous mouth! "I mean, you don't need to. I'm not that tired." Damn damn damn damn damn damn damn damn damn.

The other girl eyed her warily but nodded. She seated herself on the window seat across from Uranus as she did earlier that day, adjusting the folds of her light blue robe. The starlight filtering into the window cast itself upon the robe, giving it a silver sheen. Neptune's eyes glittered in the dim light as they searched the blonde's face.

"Are you sure you're all right?" she asked after a while. "You seem tense."

Busted. "Seriously, I'm all right," she lied.

Neptune seemed to accept her assurance and leaned back into the wall, casting her eyes out to the palace grounds below. "It's beautiful here," she commented idly. "We don't have trees or green hills back on my home planet. Just miles and miles of ocean and sand. It's beautiful and I love it, but it pales in comparison to what you have here." She smiled slightly in the starlight and turned her attention back to Uranus, who was watching her with an unreadable expression on her handsome face. Neptune blushed slightly.

"We don't have anything like this, either," Uranus told her suddenly. "My planet is covered in rocky plains and mountains. Very little vegetation grows naturally because of the strong winds that tear through the air." She closed her eyes and imagined herself back home. "The wind howls all night there. I couldn't sleep for weeks when I first came here because I couldn't hear the wind. I still miss it. I think I'm addicted to it."

Neptune nodded knowingly with a wry smile on her lips. It seemed the other girl was as attached to her home planet as much as she was attached to her own. She never would have thought that of the strong girl if she hadn't offered the information. "You're a very interesting person, Princess Uranus," she said quietly.

"Haruka."

"Come again?"

Uranus let her green eyes fall lazily upon the puzzled girl before her. "Haruka. It's what I was called back home," she told her. "Before I was coronated as the ruler of Uranus I actually had a real name."

"Haruka," Neptune said, testing the word on her lips.

"It means--"

"Distant. Yes, I know."

The blonde was amazed. How could she know a thing like that?

The other girl answered her unspoken question. "My father's adviser is from Uranus," she explained. "He taught me a bit of the language."

Uranus nodded and turned her attention to the scenery outside the window once more.

"Your name fits," Neptune commented wistfully.

The other girl chuckled in amusement. "I guess it does."

"Why haven't you made friends with the other girls?"

She shrugged. "We don't really have anything in common," she said. 

"We're all Sailor Senshi. Isn't that enough?"

Uranus thought for a moment before responding to her new friend's words. She wanted to make them as careful and meaningful as possible. "No," she began after a while. "Being a Sailor Senshi only puts us all in the same category, but it doesn't automatically make us friends. Those five girls are so close to one another. They have some sort of deeper connection that I can't find; though  
I've tried. I guess living up to my name isn't completely my choice."

"What about your brother?" Neptune asked.

"I tried explaining it to him once, but he didn't understand. All he has on his mind is trying to find new ways to impress the other girls. He's busy being a typical hormone-enraged boy."

"Well, that's it then," Neptune said with a note of finality in her crystalline voice. "I'm the only one left. And if you think I'm going to allow you to push me away like the others, you have another thing coming." 

Uranus grinned ironically at the beautiful girl's confident statement and shook her head. "You think you can keep up?" she asked her wryly.

"Of course. You don't run that fast, Haruka."

Haruka. No one had called her that since she was a very small child. The name was foreign to her ears yet it stirred a sort of warmth inside her to hear it spoken from Neptune's lips. There was a certain amount of intimacy carried with it, and even though she had never told anyone else, it seemed as though the name were for the aqua-haired girl's exclusive use. Instantly she regretted  
ever telling her of such a private matter, but it was too late. The emotion evoked from hearing her true name frightened her.

Neptune must have noticed the surprise on the blonde's face and gathered herself together and stood. "I should be going to bed," she explained as she wrapped her arms about her body to ward off the increasing evening chill.  
Uranus nodded and absent-mindedly let her eyes linger on her perfect little form. The dim starlight gave her skin a lustrous glow which made her even more beautiful.

"My family calls me Michiru," Neptune told her, then turned on her heel and went back to her own room. She closed the door behind her leaving an amazed Uranus in the darkness alone with her thoughts.

*

By the next morning news of their exploit had spread so far that even the chambermaid who rarely ever said a word to Uranus was chattering about it to her happily as she made the bed. Everyone was of course shocked that a proper lady such as the Princess of Neptune went running through the darkness and even though they all expected it of Uranus they certainly didn't think the Princess Neptune would succumb to such unruly behavior and oh how beautiful she was last  
night and Uranus too you should wear dresses more often I hope you didn't ruin it while you were capering about in the trees it was lovely and set off your eyes wonderfully did you see the King and Queen of Neptune oh they were the picture of royalty all prim and proper and-

Uranus didn't care to listen to any more of the maid's breathless chatter. She yanked a white button-down shirt and a navy designed tie out of her wardrobe and slipped out the door before the woman could notice. She heaved a sigh and leaned against the door, letting her blonde head rest against the hard wood. Reluctantly she shrugged the shirt over her white undershirt and buttoned up the front. If even the usually silent maid had this much to say, she was in for a very, very long day.

The unlikely princess threw the tie over her shoulder and proceeded to knot it, but soon found she hadn't the patience that morning. She struggled with it a couple more minutes before finally giving up and let it hang unceremoniously around her neck. She looked down at it and sighed again.

"Need help?" Neptune asked. She had just come out of her chamber door and was waiting expectantly with an amused smile on her face.

Uranus looked up and grinned a little sheepishly. "I guess I do," she admitted. She really didn't want her help, but really didn't savor the idea of attending class looking like a frump, either. It was one or the other.

The aqua-haired girl giggled and strode over to her and took hold of the dangling ends of the tie. She expertly knotted and tightened it snugly up against the other girl's throat.

"There," she said when she was finished. "Very nice."

Uranus swallowed hard. It was almost too much having this lovely young creature touch her. Fool, she said to herself. She only tied your fricking tie. Get a grip.

"Thanks," she murmured.

Neptune smiled a winning smile up at her friend. "Shall we go?" she asked cheerfully.

The blonde nodded morosely and hoisted herself from the wall, hooking a finger into her collar and loosening the tie just a bit.

Class was unbearable. The other girls poked and teased incessantly and even the instructors jabbed her every now and then. She noticed that no one made any mention of Neptune's part in the adventure and thought it just as well. No need to drag the girl down with her, even if she was the one who instigated the whole thing. Uranus was known as the palace troublemaker and she was content in that role. At least she knew who she was when she was being yelled at.

Uranus never intentionally caused trouble; it was more like trouble sought her out specifically. Usually the trouble involved Madam Delta trying to stuff her into a dress and parade her around in front of "eligible young men," or whatever she called them. No, trouble only found Uranus when someone was trying to make her something she wasn't, or when she was very, very confused. The fact that it happened often didn't bother her as far as the punishment went, but rather the mental and emotional roller coaster she'd ride as the result. There was a constant battle between her sanity and emotions, and while neither was truly injured yet, she knew a day would come when one of them would crack completely. She only hoped that she could cope afterward.

An elbow in the ribs jolted Uranus back to reality and she cast an angry glare to her twin brother, Orion. He dropped his green eyes to the notebook on the desk in front of her.

Uranus sighed and looked down at the carefully printed words before her. "How does she look in the starlight?" Uranus nearly choked as she read her brother's note, then scribbled, "Like a girl. What do you expect?"

"I was thinking about her last night."

Oh, damn...here it comes...

"Can you ask her out for me?"

Bingo.

Uranus wanted to laugh out loud but somehow managed to keep her face calm. She really didn't need the instructor getting curious and reading her notebook. Orion? And Neptune? Even if she did forgive him for the rotten thing he said about her yesterday, she doubted Neptune would even--Or would she? She realized that even though out of all the other girls she knew the aqua-haired girl best, she still didn't know much.

"Remember what you said about her yesterday?" she scrawled after a moment's reflection.

"Yeah...you don't think she's angry, do you?"

Uranus thought for a moment. "No." She personally didn't believe Neptune knew how to be angry.

"Then ask her. Please?"

A pang of jealousy flared in her but she quickly smothered it. Neptune had a right to see whomever she wanted and she certainly didn't own her. Besides, they had just met. But the jealousy gnawed at her nonetheless. She didn't want to do it, but her brother was asking her help. Her only living flesh and blood, her twin, her best friend-

"Fine."

"THANK YOU!" he wrote in big, bold letters and leaned back in his chair, triumphant and smiling.

Uranus looked over at Neptune and heaved a great sigh. Now she was trapped. This was exactly the type of trouble she wished to avoid, yet somehow found. And the source of this trouble was an aqua-haired girl from Neptune.

After class and her seemingly endless piano lesson Uranus retired to her usual thinking spot under the great oak. She was glad no one else was around to witness her slow mental and emotional deterioration. She had finally come to terms with her attraction to Neptune only to realize that she could never have a chance with her, and that her brother was also harboring similar feelings. But at least he had a chance. And she had to ask her for him. What kind of a  
brother was he, to twist the knife in her already gaping wound? No, no--it was wrong to think that way. He had no idea how she really felt. It was impossible for him to even conceive of such a notion.

She had foolishly promised. And she always kept her word.

Uranus sighed for the umpteenth time that day and flopped back down on the lush green grass, tossing an arm over her forehead to shade her eyes from the sun. Such a quandary on such a beautiful day. It was a shame.

"You look like you could use a friend," Neptune said quietly from above.

Uranus wasn't shocked in the least that she had found her. In fact, she had expected it. People were always able to find her at the most inopportune of moments. She didn't know what to say to the other girl and didn't trust herself with making idle conversation. She wasn't good at it and she didn't want to say something that might betray her feelings. She continued to stare up at the  
bright and cloudless sky.

"May I sit down?" Neptune asked after a moment.

No response.

The aqua-haired girl stared at her flatly and interpreted her solitude as indifference, and seated herself gently on the grass beside her.

"My parents left today," she said, keeping her deep blue eyes on the other's face. "I was sad to see them go. I'll miss them."

Silence.

Pause.

"Why are you so quiet?"

Nothing.

"Is something wrong?"

No response.

Neptune's face hardened. Damn, the girl was frustrating. She was so hard to read, her emotions as fickle as the wind. Why couldn't she open up to her? Why did she feel she had to be so reserved all the time? What in the world was happening inside that intelligent mind? She wanted to ask these questions but knew they would only meet with silence. Now what?

"Will you see my brother?" Uranus suddenly asked.

"What?"

"Orion would like to see you. Do you accept?"

Wonder filled her mind as she stared at the prostrate girl before her. Was this what she was agonizing about? Was this why she was so silent and aloof? There was only one way to find out. She didn't particularly savor the idea, but she was looking for a specific reaction.

"I accept."

The blonde's green eyes widened momentarily. She recovered herself quickly and cleared her throat before she spoke. "I will tell him, then." She rose to her feet and nodded her head to the other girl and quickly disappeared around the hedge.

Neptune didn't know what to think. She had her answer and she was right; Uranus definitely didn't want to be her brother's messenger and didn't like her response. Why? Maybe she didn't like to be used. Maybe she didn't approve of her brother's lame dating tactics. Or maybe, just maybe, she was jealous. After all, she and Orion were very close and every moment Neptune spent with him  
meant a few more minutes of loneliness to Uranus. That must be it, she decided. Uranus only has one friend and she was taking him away. 

Or was it something else completely? Uranus had reacted a bit too weakly to be jealous of her, but it was just right for someone trying to hide his or her true feelings. Was it possible that Uranus was jealous of her brother? Her clothing, her behavior, her disregard for boys, the way she looked at her last night as if she were undressing her with her eyes--her deep, smoldering green eyes that penetrated all barriers and saw straight to the soul--her strong yet gentle arms which held her when she couldn't stand, her-

No. Impossible. What would such a person want with a boring, weak little frill such as herself? It was just as well she agreed to see Orion. Maybe now she could get her emotions straightened out. After all, the two were twins, and even though they were different sexes they looked exactly alike. Their voices were even the same. If she hadn't already memorized Uranus's walk she wouldn't be able to tell them apart at all. Besides, it was unnatural for two girls to fall in love. Men and women were supposed to marry and have families. That was the way. It couldn't be love anyway--they'd just met. But there was something so familiar about her.

Neptune sighed herself and shook her head. Such a quandary on such a beautiful day.

*

Uranus's emotions were in turmoil. They flashed back and forth between depression and anger, two emotions she was well acquainted with but unused to having at the same time. Why her? Out of all the people in the universe did the powers that be choose her? What had she done wrong to deserve such a crisis?

She stormed through the hallways of the palace to her room and slammed the door behind her. Such a noise would alert the servants to a problem and they'd probably poke around to find the source, but Uranus didn't intend to let them succeed. She had an hour before she was to report for laundry duty and needed the time to collect herself. She wasn't going to allow anyone to see her in her out-of-control state. To do that would be admitting weakness, and she couldn't afford anyone taking pity on her. She'd lived long enough without others' pity and wasn't about to accept it now.

Uranus cursed under her breath when the expected knock came at the door. She was going to ignore it until she heard her brother's voice.

"Hey, sis!" he called. "Open up! I know you're in there...one of the maids saw you! Come on, I need to talk to you!"

She managed to get hold of herself before she opened the hard wood door and allowed her twin inside.

"Took you long enough," he grumbled as he entered. "Did you ask her?"

Uranus nodded. "Yeah, I asked her."

Orion looked at her expectantly. "Well?" he asked.

"I don't know why, but she's accepted."

"Yes!" he cheered, hugging her roughly. "You're the best sister in the world!" he exclaimed. "Will you tell her that I won't really have time until Friday?"

Not again. "Why don't you do your own dirty work for a change?" she nearly spat.

If the excited prince noticed her tone he ignored it completely. "I'm just so nervous, Uri. Please? I'll never ask you to do it again."

That's because after Friday you won't need to. And after that day I'll be freed from this terrible spell. "All right," she sighed. "But this is the last time."

Orion nodded his blonde head gratefully and opened the door. "Thanks, Uri," he said, grinning. "You're the best!" He closed the door behind him when he left.

If I'm the best, why do I have to put up with all of this? She wondered.

*

"So he won't have time until Friday?" Neptune repeated.

"No. He said he's busy."

"Oh."

Uranus looked about Neptune's room and couldn't help but smile. Even though their two rooms were identical in structure, to look at them without knowing that proved they were nothing alike. Where Uranus's room displayed plainness and functionality best befitting a man, it was more appropriate to say that Neptune's chamber was a girl's haven. All the furniture was soft and  
comfortable, and was shaded in the varying colors of the ocean. A toe-tingling carpet in soft pink squished under her shoes and small accessories such as pillows and throws were strewn about the room. The color scheme somehow made the room lighter even though the two rooms shared the same type of outdoor exposure, a large bay window overlooking the gardens. In spite of herself Uranus had found herself sitting on the window seat in her telltale position, with Neptune seated across from her.

"I'm sorry I was so short with you today," Uranus apologized. Laundry duty had offered her the solitude she required in which to think, and she came to the conclusion that Neptune had done nothing to deserve such poor treatment. She should be nothing but friendly to her despite her emotional state.

Neptune smiled warmly, lighting up her beautiful blue eyes. "It's all right," she said. "You looked preoccupied. I should have left you alone."

Uranus nodded and let her eyes linger for a tantalizing moment on the other girl's face.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No." That was the last thing she wanted to do.

"Would you like to help me raid the kitchen, then? I missed dinner and I'm absolutely starved." Neptune's eyes twinkled mischievously.

Uranus's stomach growled as if in response. It suddenly occurred to her that she had so thoroughly needed the quiet accompanying the dirty laundry that she had worked right through dinner.

Neptune giggled. "I think that settles it," she said.

"I think you're right," the blonde laughed.

When they arrived to the kitchen they found that all the staff had already found their beds. It didn't matter, for Uranus often indulged in midnight raids and knew where everything was kept.

"What are you in the mood for?" she asked while peering into one of the many cupboards lining the walls.

"Oh, anything's fine," Neptune responded. She was completely stunned by the enormity of the kitchen. "This place is huge!" she remarked. "We don't have anything like this back home."

Uranus sniffed an open jar and made a face. "Same here," she said, putting the jar back in the cupboard. "They need a big kitchen like this because they serve a lot of people," she told her as she pulled out yet another jar and opened it. Peanut butter. "You like peanut butter and jelly?" 

Neptune looked up from a large copper pot she was inspecting. "Oh yes, that's fine," she said.

"Good, because that's about all I know how to make."

The aqua-haired girl giggled and sat herself on a tall stool at the high wooden table against the wall. There were long, dark scratches all over the surface, which told her it was probably used to prepare the food. "How long have you been here?" she asked suddenly.

Uranus pulled her golden head out of the cupboard and gave her a startled look. "About five years," she said after thinking a moment. "Why do you ask?"

"I was talking with the Princess of Mercury today," Neptune said. "She told me you were the first to arrive. Does that mean the other girls were born here?"

Uranus closed the cupboard door and set two jars on the wooden table. "Yeah, all the Inner Senshi were born here. Only you, me, and Pluto were born on our guardian planets." She reached up and grabbed a fresh loaf of bread from the rack near the fireplace and set it next to the two jars.

Neptune blinked. "Pluto? I don't think I've met her yet."

"You probably won't, either," the other girl told her as she rooted through one of the counter drawers for a sharp knife. She found the object of her desire and pulled it out. "Pluto is the Guardian of the Gate of Time. She doesn't get out much."

"Have you met her?"

Uranus nodded while slicing the bread. "Once, at a state function. She looked kind of uncomfortable with the younger girls so I struck up a conversation with her. She's a few years older than we are, I think. She's nice, but aloof." She stacked a couple pieces of sliced bread on the table and went back to work.

The aqua-haired girl cupped her chin in her hands and watched as her friend made dinner. "I suppose I'd be pretty aloof too if I had to spend the rest of eternity guarding time," she said wistfully. "But what about Saturn? Do they have a princess?"

"She hasn't been identified yet," Uranus said with a shrug. Her sudden shoulder movement threw off her aim and the knife gave her a neat little slice on the finger.

Uranus swore and dropped the knife on the table in surprise. She gazed distastefully at the red line forming on her left index finger, waiting for the pain to come.

"Are you all right?" Neptune asked, worry lining her perfect face.

"Yeah, I'm all right," the blonde told her grumpily.

"Here, let me see." Neptune reached out and before the other girl could protest, took the injured hand in her own. She pulled out a small lacy handkerchief and wrapped it neatly around Uranus's finger, and tied it off with a small knot.

"There," she said when it was finished. "All better."

Uranus glared down at her wrapped finger and looked up at the other girl, a little uneasy. "Thanks," she muttered.

Neptune beamed at her. "You'd better let me finish making the sandwiches," she instructed lightly. "I don't want to have to be the one to tell your piano instructor that you're sans a few digits."

Uranus smiled, all uneasiness melting away. Just being with the girl made her feel better about everything. She handed her the knife and loaf of bread, careful not to get blood on the food for it was already leaking through the bandage.

"How did you know I played the piano?" she asked while the girl painstakingly constructed the sandwiches.

"My violin lesson is right after yours," she explained. "Master Alpha complains about you a lot."

Uranus's face flushed in embarrassment. She always thought she was terrible and it was a waste of her time, but apparently she had no idea how truly bad she was. The only reason she kept with it was because it provided her with a perfect outlet to vent her moods. She often found herself in the music hall late at night banging her frustrations out on the keyboard.

Neptune giggled at the other girl's reaction. "He doesn't complain about your playing, Haruka," she said.

The blonde's face reddened again when she heard her true name. It was going to take her a very long time to get used to hearing it.

"He complains about your imminent senshi training," she continued, oblivious. "He thinks you have a real future as a concert pianist and he doesn't want to see you breaking your fingers in battle."

"I think it's too late," she laughed, holding up her injured hand.

Neptune chuckled. "He says you're really very good," she continued. "Will you play for me someday?"

"I--I guess," the blonde stammered. So she wasn't as bad as she'd thought. "I really only play for myself, though."

The aqua beauty frowned slightly. "That's too bad. I really love the piano." She slapped a piece of jellied bread together with one slathered with peanut butter and offered it to Uranus, who took it gratefully.

Uranus peeled away one side of the sandwich to reveal a light coating of strawberry jelly and about a quarter of an inch thick of peanut butter. Just the way she liked them, but how did Neptune know?

"Do you ever have the feeling that you've done something before?" Neptune suddenly asked. Her voice sounded odd, wistful almost, as if she were remembering something long forgotten. "On my planet they call that sensation 'deja vu.' Have you ever had it?"

The blonde watched her face steadily. "A couple times," she admitted warily.

Neptune shook her head and snapped out of her momentary reverie. She smiled slightly and turned her attention back to her incomplete sandwich on the table before her. "I feel like I've done this before," she said quietly.

Uranus nodded slowly and took a bite of her sandwich. So she wasn't the only one having these feelings. Were they all? An uncomfortable silence suddenly conquered the room as each girl was lost in thought.

The clock on the wall behind them chimed half past one, shattering the solitude. The two girls looked up at it in surprise. Had they really been talking that long? 

"Oh my," Neptune breathed. "It's quite late, isn't it?"

Uranus nodded her blonde head in agreement. "Professor Beta is going to kill me if I'm late again to class." She screwed the tops back onto the jars and got up to put them back in the cupboard. She nodded to the loaf of bread sitting on the table. "We may as well leave that out. The breakfast staff will be here in a couple hours anyway."

Neptune slid from her perch on the stool and picked up her sandwich. Uranus turned out the light as they left the kitchen, and the two girls snacked on their sandwiches and shared jokes on the short walk back to their rooms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH, THE ANGST.


	4. Chapter 4

On top of going to bed at such a late hour Uranus slept badly. If her brother hadn't woken her from her troubled sleep she probably would have slept through her alarm and missed class entirely. Ever since Neptune arrived her sleep patterns had changed dramatically for the worse. With Neptune's arrival came troubles she had never before known, and now they were affecting her sleep. She'd had troubled sleeps before, though, but this morning was different. This morning when she awoke, she felt as though she were missing something. Something vital. She couldn't put a finger on it, but it was very familiar.

"What's up with you this morning?" Orion printed on his sister's notebook.

"Didn't sleep well," she scrawled.

"Up late studying?"

"You could say that."

"You should do well on the test, then. Good luck."

Uranus stared at her notebook in horror. She had completely forgotten about the exam scheduled for that morning. Without studying, she was doomed.

Relax, Uranus, relax, she told herself. You rival Mercury for the best grades in class so just relax. It'll be a breeze. But what was the exam in? History? Math? She'd always had a natural talent for math. Kanji? The arts?

Professor Beta called the class to attention and passed out the examination. Uranus looked down at it apprehensively, but breathed a sigh of relief when she spied the numbers before her. Math. She was lucky this time. She pulled out a pencil and dug into the first equation.

*

The exam passed easily, as did the rest of her classes that day, but Uranus found it hard to stay awake when the day was done. After exchanging views on the exam with the shy little Princess of Mercury, she slipped away to find a place to rest. As was her custom, she sought out the oak tree near the wall and lay down beneath it, reveling in the comfort of the breeze flowing in off the nearby pond. Tomorrow was Friday, she realized. The day of Neptune and Orion's date. She wondered vaguely what they were going to do, but remembered that she had arranged for them to meet by the pond at dusk. They were probably going to walk the grounds while talking and later on indulge in her brother's favorite activity, "mutual exploration of the physical self." Her brother could be so disgusting at times, but she knew that he possessed an amazing charm. Once he turned it on no girl could resist him. A pang of jealousy followed by horror flashed through her body as she thought of Neptune succumbing to his power. The poor girl didn't know what she was up against.

She yawned and closed her green eyes, willing sleep to come and carry away all her troubles. Moments later she drifted into a deep, dreamless sleep.

It was dusk when she awoke, not feeling any more rested than before she fell asleep. She rubbed the back of her neck to work out a knot collected while napping on the hard ground and with a groan, stood. She cast her eyes toward the brightly-lit palace and decided that it must be about dinnertime. She trudged her way back to the palace and into the dining room, where she found  
Neptune waiting by the door. The girl smiled when she approached, but it soon turned into a frown when she saw her friend's drawn face.

"You look terrible," she remarked with concern as she led her to a couple seats she reserved by the fiery, black-haired Princess of Mars.

"Thanks," Uranus responded dryly.

"Where did you go after class?" she asked, taking her seat. "I tried looking for you."

Uranus also slid into her designated chair. "I was by my oak," she told her.

"Oh my. I didn't even think of looking there." She nodded her thanks to a liveried servant as he set the evening's entree on the table before her and laid the lavender napkin across her lap.

Uranus looked at her own meal with distaste. A big slab of meat occupied the plate, surrounded by a few steamed vegetables and some rather strange looking grayish goop. They never served enough fresh vegetables. As was typical of most of her meals, Uranus grabbed an apple from one of the bowls in the center of the table and took a bite. She soon grew aware of Neptune looking  
at her quizzically.

"I'm not a big meat-eater," she explained around a mouth full of apple.

Neptune nodded and delicately pierced a piece of limp broccoli with her fork. She watched it with distaste as it slid off the utensil and formed a small pile of green goop identical to the unidentifiable gray matter beside it.

"Must be the cauliflower," Uranus whispered behind her hand.

Neptune giggled at the joke and likewise chose an apple from the fruit bowl. She laughed even harder when she found that next to her the Princess of Mars had done the same, as did Jupiter and Mercury down the way. Jupiter had a particularly guilty look about her as she silently chewed her pear. 

Princess Mars leaned over to Neptune and whispered, "The head cook quit this morning when Jupiter told her she was using too much salt in the soup stock."

Uranus grinned.

"Well, she was!" the brunette Princess of Jupiter defended. "Too much salt ruins it!"

"Everything was fine until you had to stick your nose in it!" Mars fumed.

"Did you see the amount she threw in there? That stuff was saltier than the sea!"

"I can stand one afternoon's salty soup than an eternity of this slop! That woman was the best cook on the entire moon!"

"Girls, please," the blue-haired Princess of Mercury interjected meekly.

"Mercury, tell this culinary heathen that there was too much salt in the soup!"

"Don't listen to her, Mercury! She's biased to her own cooking!"

"Can I help it if I'm superior?"

"To snails, maybe!"

Listening to the girls' spirited argument and Neptune's tinkling laughter made Uranus feel a bit better about her exhaustive day. She leaned back in her chair and with a chuckle bit into her apple again. If nothing else, the younger girls were definitely entertaining.

*

Neptune insisted on walking Uranus back to her room when she had discovered that the blonde had fallen asleep at the dinner table. Uranus protested that she was fine but the aqua-haired beauty would hear none of it. She opened Uranus's chamber door and gently prodded her inside toward the bed.

The blonde collapsed face down on her bed and closed her eyes.

"I told you you weren't fine," Neptune scolded. She pulled open the doors to the wardrobe and began rooting through the drawers. "Haruka, where do you keep your pajamas?"

She muttered something incomprehensible into the blankets below her face.

"What did you say?" Neptune asked.

Uranus slowly sat up and winced slightly when a sharp jab stuck her on the back of the neck again. She clasped her right hand over it to work out the cramp. "I said I don't wear pajamas," she grumbled. She reddened when she realized what she'd just said.

Neptune's blue eyes widened a bit, but the darkness completely concealed her knowing smile. So the Princess of Uranus slept in the nude. Interesting.

"What's wrong with your neck?" she asked, noticing the pained expression on the blonde's face.

"Oh, nothing. Just a cramp," Uranus muttered.

Neptune closed the wardrobe doors and went to the bed. "Here, let me help," she said, taking a seat next to her friend and reaching for her shoulders.

The blonde involuntarily jumped. "That's not necessary," she said apprehensively.

"Nonsense. Move over."

There was no getting rid of her now, so Uranus nervously complied.

"Now lie down," Neptune instructed.

The blonde flopped back down on her stomach with a sigh. If she had any energy she might have been able to resist her, but in her sleepy state she was completely powerless. Warm hands touched her shoulders and she flinched.

"Relax," Neptune chided softly as she gripped onto the warm flesh below her and began kneading it, working out the knots. She was amazed at how tight the blonde's muscles were. "What have you been doing to yourself?" she asked in awe. Below her Uranus mumbled something about stress and shifted slightly. Neptune giggled softly and continued her massage.

God, did it feel good. With every expert touch Uranus thought she was going to pass out from sheer pleasure, but she somehow managed to remain conscious. She could feel her muscles relaxing with every poke, every, touch, every stroke of the soft, gentle hands. The hands slowly worked their way down her shoulders and onto her taut back, but it was to remain taut no longer. Next was her lower back and sides. The light fingers tickled her but she was too tired to respond. Slowly but surely, as the hands continued their soothing trek, Uranus fell asleep. 

*

The next morning Uranus awoke with the sun. She stretched luxuriously and noted with satisfaction that Neptune's massage the night before had left her completely relaxed. Neptune. She sat bolt upright in bed and looked around her dimly lit room. How rude of her to fall asleep in Neptune's company! What was she thinking? She was thinking of not sleeping well for the past week, that's what. She blinked her green eyes in wonder as she realized that she slept the  
whole night through and awoke at her usual early-bird time. It was most likely due to exhaustion, but she suspected that Neptune's gentle hands also had something to do with it.

And what hands they were. So soft and gentle and knowing. Uranus hugged her knees to her chest and smiled slightly at the memory still fresh in her mind. It was a cheap thrill, she knew, but she couldn't help it. She wished that someday she could experience that kindness again, and reciprocate.

No.

The thought came to her like a kick to the head. No. It could never be. Neptune was destined for someone great, not a boyish freak with a short temper like herself. There was absolutely nothing endearing about her, anyway. With a sigh, she glanced at her bedside clock. There was a considerable amount of time before class. Just enough time, in fact, for a morning run. She hadn't done that since her sleep pattern was destroyed a week earlier.

Uranus slipped out of bed and dug through her wardrobe drawer for her running shorts and one of the t-shirts she always wore. She noted with disgust that she had fallen asleep fully dressed, but there was nothing to do about it now other than remember not to do it again. She unbuttoned her rumpled shirt and dropped it unceremoniously to the floor, then pulled the white-t-shirt over  
her head. She scowled at how it fit a little too snugly around her chest. The laundry service must have shrunk it. Either that or she was getting bigger. She laughed at herself for the last thought and replaced her wrinkled slacks with the dark blue shorts, pulled on some sneakers, and headed for the door.

Once outside Uranus took a deep breath of the morning air. She loved how the air smelled first thing: So clean and fresh. She looked to the north side of the gardens and took off at a gentle pace. The morning dew had yet to evaporate and she didn't really relish the thought of slipping on the wet grass and having to spend the next few days hobbling around the palace with a crutch.  
She'd learned that lesson the hard way about a year ago. No need to have a refresher.

She turned left at the hedge and followed it down a gentle slope where the grass was exposed to the sun and completely dries. She quickened her pace and continued along the hedge, crossed the bridge over the lightly misted pond, and turned onto the dusty main road leading from the palace. Exhilarated, she sped up again and charged ahead at full tilt, soaking in the soft morning sun and the wind as it whipped through her blonde hair. The wind was especially strong that  
day and met her head-on, working against her. She grinned ruefully at the playful element. "So you want a race," she breathed aloud. "Then a race you'll get." The wind tousled her hair as if in response. Uranus skidded to a halt and turned around to face the palace once again, the wind at her back. She knelt in the runner's start position and counted down. 

"Three...two...one...Mark!" Like a bolt of lightning the young princess flew down the road faster than she had ever run before, daring the wind to even try to compete with her. She was pleasantly surprised at how her body was able to do her bidding after a week of neglect and urged it faster. She was now tearing down the road at breakneck speed, passing the shrubbery with a blur, and flew over the bridge once again. She grinned in defiance as she realized she was winning--by a landslide. She laughed in the face of her friend and nemesis, the powerful wind, and slowed her pace just a bit. Tossing another grin over her shoulder she rounded the hedge's corner and--struck something. Hard.

The wind completely escaped her body as a fierce pain ripped through her stomach and lower chest. She clutched at it and fell to her knees, gasping, unable to draw any air into her lungs. Her green eyes widened as she doubled over, heaving desperately. Her mind raced with fright and dizziness all at once. A very far away voice was talking to her.

"Oh my goodness! Haruka!"

Uranus blinked and looked up at her aqua-haired attacker. She felt she knew her, but in her dizzied state she couldn't quite place the face. The assassin dropped to her knees on the grass beside her and reached out to her, probably to stick a knife in her back and finish the job. Uranus fought her off as best she could while still clutching at her destroyed middle, and had she been fully aware of her actions she would have realized that her feeble attempt at self-preservation only resulted in a weak little wave. Her arm struck something hard and cold. She felt it give way under her skin and watched out of the corner of her eye as a tall marble pillar teetered precariously toward her. As if in slow motion the pillar lost its balance. Uranus suddenly felt a new and much sharper pain emanating from her chest. The pain gained intensity and shot through her body like thousands of little swords poking her every surface. Her vision blurred red, then white, and then finally black. The last thing she saw before she passed out was a pair of watery blue eyes gazing down at her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What is this mess, I don't even


	5. Chapter 5

Prince Orion ran through the marble hallways as fast as he could. The news of his sister's accident had reached him during breakfast via a very frantic Madam Delta. The large woman was almost beside herself with worry and was barely able to speak, but she somehow managed to tell him that his sister was injured. He didn't know the extent of her injuries but didn't like the look on Madam Delta's face, either. He decided to skip breakfast and left for Uranus's room.

Orion slowed his pace as he neared his sister's chamber, but halted when he noticed the hunched-over form of the Princess of Neptune sitting by the door. Her knees were drawn up to her chest and her aqua head was buried deep in her arms. Her shoulders shook a little, and it was at that moment that he realized she was crying. It couldn't be that bad, could it? The Palace was the safest place on the moon. What the hell happened?

He approached the Princess apprehensively, afraid to ask the inevitable, but aware he'd find out sooner or later.

"Princess," he greeted somberly.

Neptune's head shot up and she fixed her addresser with watery red eyes. "Prince," she croaked in return.

Orion swallowed the lump that rose in his throat at the sight of the distressed girl. It must be bad. "How bad is it?" he asked slowly.

"I don't know," she sniffed, dropping her head back into her arms. "The doctor's with her now. He won't let anyone in." Her voice was muffled by her arms but the Prince could hear her perfectly.

"I see," he said darkly. 

Neptune's little frame shook as another bout of quiet sobs racked her body. God, what had she done? Why had she asked that gardener to move the pillar into the path? She could have had it moved anywhere in the entire garden, but for some reason she chose the direct path Uranus was running. Her irrepressible artistic intuition told her it would be a wonderful model as a still-life painting, and the light was much better on the path. She was a fool; she should have known what her selfish action could mean. She was a damned, damned fool and she seriously hurt the only friend for whom she dared to care so much.

Orion's heart sank watching the young girl cry so bitterly over his sister's misfortune. Why? Did she actually care that much so soon? They'd known each other less than a week, and while Orion himself was quite distressed over the news, Princess Neptune was taking it much harder than she should. Indignant jealousy flared up inside but he smothered it with the sober thought that his sister could be mortally wounded. No need for petty claims of ownership now.

Just then the heavy wooden door opened and the lovely Queen Serenity herself emerged from the room. Her usually flawless face was drawn in worry but she tried to hide it unsuccessfully with an insincere smile when she spied Orion standing by the door.

Neptune looked up when she heard the door open but dropped her gaze again when she found who it was. She was too ashamed to even make eye contact.

The Queen cast her luminous eyes to the princess seated on the floor and slowly bent down to her. She placed a graceful hand on the girl's shoulder and sought her eyes with her own. "She asked about you," the Queen said soothingly.

Neptune's head snapped around to finally meet the Queen’s warm gaze. The velvety eyes and light smile told her that the monarch was very sincere, and that shamed her even more. "How is she?" she choked, dropping her head back into her arms.

"The doctor said she only has broken ribs and bruising," the Queen told her gently. "No permanent damage, but she'll be bedridden for a while."

Relief flooded through Neptune's body like a tidal wave. Another sob ripped through her and fresh tears sprang to her eyes. "Oh, your Majesty," she cried, "it was all my fault. If I--if I--"

"It's all right, child," Serenity soothed, gathering the shivering girl in her arms. "What's done is done. You didn't know it would happen and there's no real harm done. A few broken ribs won't keep Princess Uranus off her feet for long. Hush." She stroked Neptune's wavy hair and rocked her slowly, doing her motherly best to calm her down.

Orion looked on with mixed emotions. Here he stood, the only person Uranus could call family and the Queen was comforting the Princess of Neptune. Something was definitely amiss. Sure, he wasn't displaying such raw emotion as the princess, but that didn't mean he wasn't upset inside. He was greatly relieved to hear that his sister was going to be fine, but that didn't diminish his erroneous jealousy. Had these two girls grown this close? Had Uranus finally made a friend other than himself? He shook his head in puzzlement. The whole concept of girls and their strange relationships to one another would forever elude him.

"Orion," the Queen said, looking up. "You may see her now."

The young man nodded gravely and reached for the doorknob, but stopped. He suddenly didn't feel right about being the first to see his sister after witnessing this scene. "Princess," he started tentatively. "I--I think you should go first."

Neptune scrubbed her blue eyes with the back of her hand and looked up at the blonde prince. "What?" she sniffed.

"I said I--I think you should see her first." He cast her a shy look and turned away from the door. "I'll come back later." And with that, he jammed his fists into his pockets and made his way down the marble hallway to his room in the other wing.

Neptune watched him go, a small seed of admiration germinating within her. She thought the Prince to be a rude boy when she first met him, but now began to think otherwise. He could be a gentleman.

"Are you going in?" Queen Serenity suddenly asked.

Neptune's heart fell. "I don't think she'd want to see me. Not after what I did."

"Nonsense," the beautiful queen chuckled. "She asked about you before I came out here. She knows what happened."

The Princess's blue eyes went wide. "She can't! My foolish actions could have killed her! Did that pillar fall on her head, too?"

Queen Serenity laughed musically at her young ward's joke, but a quizzical look from the girl told her that she was absolutely serious. The Queen cleared her throat uncomfortably and the smile returned instantly to her lips. "Her head's fine, Princess," she said softly. "Now go in."

The Queen's smooth commanding tone and reassuring eyes gave Neptune the steel she needed to enter the room and apologize fiercely to her stricken friend. She nodded slowly and rose to her feet.

"Here," the Queen said, handing her a small white handkerchief. "Dry those beautiful eyes, Princess. There are worse things in this universe then a few cracked ribs and wounded pride."

Neptune smiled gratefully at the loving woman and reached for the doorknob. She slowly pushed open the door and entered.

Shades were drawn over the big bay window, successfully denying the room of the lovely natural light from outside. Neptune's eyes took a moment to adjust to the darkness. To her right, the aging Doctor Theta was packing his various instruments and supplies into his small black bag. He looked up when he heard her enter.

"You mustn't stay long, my Lady," he told her quietly. "She has a bit of a fever. I just gave her some medication for the pain, and something to make her sleep."

Neptune nodded silently and finally allowed herself to look at the prostrate form on the bed. She approached slowly, apprehensively, fearing the worst.

The doctor smiled reassuringly at her and closed his bag. "If she wasn't as strong as she was, she'd be much worse, Lady. Remember, only a few minutes," he reminded, then left, closing the door quietly behind him.

Alone and afraid, Neptune crept up to the side of Uranus's bed. Her heart sank at the sight of her friend. She was propped up on quite a few pillows, her arms straight at her sides. A light blanket was draped over her slim frame, somehow making her look smaller than she actually was. Tightly wrapped bandages peeked out from under the blanket. The girl's breathing was shallow and ragged, and her eyes were closed. Her usually fair face was even paler than usual and Neptune could see small droplets of sweat standing on her forehead. A giant knot began to form in her stomach as she watched her friend suffer.

She wanted to leave. She wanted to run away. There was absolutely nothing she could ever say or do to make up for her grievous mistake. Yet, she couldn't bring herself to go. Although her mind screamed at her to run and hide, her body simply would not comply. So there she stood, watching Uranus's shallowly heaving chest and listening to her raspy breath. She was glad the girl was asleep.

"I'm not asleep," a breathy voice said quietly. Uranus slowly opened her green eyes and she turned he head slightly, letting her tired gaze fall on her friend.

Neptune started. She didn't know what to say. "Haruka, I--"

"It's okay," she rasped. "It only hurts a little."

Neptune suddenly burst into tears. "That's a lie, Haruka!" she cried, burying her face in her hands. "I could have killed you!"

Uranus swallowed painfully as she regarded her weeping friend. The drug the doctor gave her was quickly taking effect and clouding her mind with sleep. She was puzzled. "Why are you crying?" she asked slowly.

Neptune pulled her hands from her face and looked at the blonde angrily. "I could have killed you!" she sobbed, letting the tears run openly down her face.

Uranus closed her eyes. "I'm not dead," she murmured. She was falling quickly into darkness. The last thing she heard was Neptune's sobbing apology.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Brevity is the soul of blah blah blah, I think I was lazy and losing steam. Also, there were so many spelling mistakes I had to correct just now, holy shit.


	6. Chapter 6

Uranus was perched on her windowsill, staring intently out her bedroom window. Her brother had just been in to see her and helped her across the room to her window at her stubborn request. It pained her a little to use her body, but it had been a week since her accident and she was going crazy staring at her ceiling day after day. The doctor probably would be back soon and lecture her on staying completely still until her ribs had had ample time to heal, but that was the furthest from her mind. The scene below her window was what engaged her now.

The Princess of Neptune was painting a very lovely picture of the palace gardens. Uranus recognized her favorite oak even from her distance, and watched as the aqua-haired girl carefully applied paint to the canvas with loving strokes. She stood for a moment and regarded her creation, and satisfied, set her palette on the grass and chose a rather sharp looking tool from her paint-smudged box. With a flourish she carved her signature into the wet paint and nodded to herself.

Uranus watched the whole scene with a smile. It warmed her to see her friend enjoying her activities and wished direly to be out there with her. It was odd, but ever since her unfortunate accident Uranus had felt herself growing closer to Neptune, despite her brain's insistent warnings. 

Neptune was there when Uranus had finally woken up three days before. She had no idea it was possible for someone to sleep for four days, especially herself, but the doctor informed her that it was quite common for the human body to shut down like that when stressed. Four days of sleep, and she still felt tired. Neptune was there the whole time, fussing over her and startling whenever she uttered any volume of complaint. She wasn't really comfortable with the girl being at her beck and call, but she was grateful for the time she was able to spend with her, albeit very restricted. Neptune cared for her with a diligence even the doctor had remarked over. He said she should be grateful to have such a good friend. In a way, she was.

Friendship was strange, Uranus thought wryly. What she felt for the Princess of Neptune was definitely stronger than friendship, and the past few days increased it so that it was now bordering on love. Every touch, every smile, every word she said drove her absolutely insane for want of her. And it wasn't just desire--she knew that and could handle it. It was the strange and new phenomenon known as love.

Why am I falling in love with her? Uranus asked herself for the fifth time that day, bypassing her usual "this isn't right" introspective. She was through with arguing about that aspect of herself. She now fully accepted the fact that she was falling for the aqua-haired beauty from Neptune, and fast. She hadn't done anything remarkable but be her friend and care for her in her time of need, no matter how much it injured her pride. But she was gentle, and kind. Her soul seemed to shine with the light of a thousand tiny stars, and whenever she smiled she thought the world would sing. She was beautiful inside as well as out and perfect in every way. Uranus laughed at herself for having such poetic thoughts. Never in her life had she ever waxed poetic, but she found it somewhat fitting now. Being cooped up in her room gave her a lot of time to think and come to terms with certain aspects of her life.

As if she knew Uranus was thinking about her, Neptune looked up to her window and waved excitedly when she spotted the blonde watching her. Uranus didn't expect her to notice her watching, and hesitantly put her hand on the glass windowpane in silent, surprised response. Neptune beamed up at her and gathered her painting supplies hastily, then disappeared through a doorway.

Uranus let her hand slide down the glass as her mind began reeling. Neptune was on her way up to see her, she was sure of it. Even though she had finally accepted her attraction to the beautiful girl, could she hide it? Now that she was fully aware of her feelings she knew that there would soon be a day when her guard would fall and something regrettable would happen. Then she'd be   
sans a wonderful friend. Best to keep it to herself.

As predicted, Neptune came rushing into Uranus's room through the bathroom after discarding her painting supplies. Neptune smiled warmly at the blonde resting on the window seat. She looked much better than she had the previous days. The color was back in her face and the green eyes were bright once more, no longer dulled with pain. Every time she looked at the tomboy guilt and icy fear gripped her heart, but after a long apology and conversation when she had finally awoke, everything was set to rights. Haruka didn't hold anything against her and assured her that though the accident was strange, it could have happened to anyone. Neptune didn't know whether to believe her or not, but seeing her sitting on the window seat reassured her that everything would be fine. Haruka on the window seat. Window seat.

"Haruka!" she exclaimed, her blue eyes widening. "What do you think you're doing out of bed?"

The blonde grinned at her friend rather sheepishly and rested her head back against the marble wall. "I couldn't take staring at the ceiling any longer, so I had Orion carry me over this morning."

Neptune shook her head in exasperation. "You know the doctor will be angry when he finds you here," she warned.

"I know, I know," Haruka sighed and ran a hand through her short hair.

The other girl's face softened a bit and she smiled. "You're impatient," she noted, amused. "I don't think even Queen Serenity's orders could keep you caged up for long."

"I'm afraid not," Uranus chuckled quietly.

"Do you need anything?"

She shook her blonde head. "Thanks, but Orion and the others already brought me enough supplies to last me until the next millennium." She pointed toward a chair next to her bed teeming with items. 

Neptune stepped over to the chair and picked up a rather silly looking girly fashion magazine. "Interesting reading," she commented with a giggle.

"Venus brought me that," Uranus replied, rolling her green eyes. "She seems to have the strange notion that I'm in the market for a new dress."

"And these?" The aqua haired beauty gestured toward a stack of thick books.

"Mercury."

"And let me guess...the paper wards on the wall are from Mars, the fluffy blue pillows from Jupiter, and the piles of food from Princess Serenity?"

"You got it."

"Those girls are too much," Neptune said, smiling. "You should talk to them more often. They really do care about you. And speaking or Orion, could you let him know that I am free next Friday?"

Uranus's heart dropped into her stomach. "A second date?" she asked quietly.

Neptune shook her lovely head. "No, the first. In light of the current situation we thought it best to wait a bit."

"Oh."

"Are you sure you're all right? You look pale all of a sudden."

Observant. The blonde nodded quickly. "What were you painting outside?" she asked, effectively changing the subject. Damn Orion.

Neptune smiled shyly and placed the fashion magazine back on the chair. "I was hoping you didn't notice," she said quietly, a slight flush staining her cheeks attractively. "I was going to wait until it dried before I gave it to you."

Uranus blinked in surprise. That beautiful painting was a gift...for her? Why?

"I thought that since you can't go outdoors, I'd bring the outdoors to you," the other princess answered her unspoken question.

Uranus blinked again and felt the color rising in her cheeks. "I don't know what to say," she murmured. The pattern on her blanket suddenly became very interesting.

"Just tell me where to hang it," Neptune breathed.

*

"Uri, I have a problem," Orion blurt out as soon as the door closed behind him. He looked about the room wildly.

"So what's new?" Uranus muttered. 

"I'm serious, Uri," he said, seating himself on the window seat beside her, his back facing her. His leg immediately started shaking.

"About what?" Uranus asked flatly, still reading her book. She knew what he was nervous about but didn't really care to talk about it.

"My date!"

"Oh. That."

"What am I going to do?" he wailed, burying his face in his hands. "I can't go through with this!"

"Then don't." She hoped she didn't sound too hopeful.

"But I can't back out now! Princess Neptune will hate me!"

"How do you know she won't hate you after the date?" As soon as she said it Uranus realized that it was the wrong thing to say. She wanted to take it back, but it was too late. Damn her jealousy. "Orion," she started, dropping her book into her lap. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. She won't hate you."

"How can you be so sure?" he asked her quietly. "What chance do I have with a beautiful princess when my own sister won't even give me the time of day anymore?"

Uranus was stunned. What the hell was going on? "Orion?" She placed her hand on his shoulder and pulled him around so she could look him in the eyes.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I didn't mean that."

"You did."

He closed his green eyes and nodded slowly. "You've been spending so much time with her lately I've hardly seen you," he told her quietly. "Believe it or not, but you're the only one I can really talk to around here."

Truth to tell, Uranus hadn't noticed how much time she'd been spending with Neptune. Now that her brother so woefully pointed it out she was ashamed she'd ignored him. She should have seen this coming. She wrapped her arms around him, and despite the throbbing pain in her chest she hugged him in silent apology. 

Orion accepted it, allowing his sister to hold him, something she hadn't done since they were children. "I forgot how nice your hugs were," he murmured into her shoulder.

Uranus chuckled. "Don't get used to it," she told him jokingly. "Do you feel better?"

"Not really. I'm still really nervous."

"You'll be fine."

He pulled himself from his sister's embrace and shook his head in disagreement. "It's pretty bad, Uri. Every time I see her I feel like I'm going to throw up."

"Somehow I don't think that's a reaction girls look for," she told him wryly.

All Orion could do was shake his head again.

"If you're that nervous, why don't you cancel? I'm sure she'll understand."

Orion's blonde head shot up and he looked at his sister with wonder in his eyes. "I think I have a better idea," he breathed.

"Oh no," Uranus replied, holding up her hands. She recognized the mischievous look in his eyes. "No way. I'm not going to do it."

"Come on, Uri!" he begged.

"No! It won't work!"

"How do you know?"

"This stuff only works on television!"

"That doesn't mean it can't work!"

"It's evidence enough for me!"

"You owe me!"

Uranus glared at her twin, wishing him a slow, painful death.

*

Two hours later Uranus walked stiffly out to the bridge spanning the pond, wearing her brother's clothes and cursing the day he was born. How he thought that she could pass as him was beyond her. Did he think Neptune was stupid? Sure, they were twins, but there were subtle differences between them, such as breasts, hips, and facial hair, not to mention personalities as different as   
night and day. Neptune would be able to tell in an instant, which is why Uranus decided to turn her brother in as soon as she saw her. Ungrateful swine.

Uranus shifted uncomfortably in the white button-down shirt and green suit coat she'd donned for the occasion. After fussing with it for about half an hour she and her brother decided that her female attributes were too obvious. Her ribs were still wrapped in bandages, which gave Orion the idea to wrap the rest of her as well. It worked, but it was really itchy and hard to breathe. To remove the illusion of her hips she left her shirt untucked, but the peach fuzz on her brother's face couldn't be replicated. It didn't really matter anyway, because Uranus was going to tell the truth.

Uranus sighed and ran a nervous hand through her short blonde hair, then planted her hands firmly on the railing, overlooking the pond. Why had she agreed to this? Why did she constantly allow herself to get sucked into her brother's lame schemes? How could she be so stupid?

"Ara, have you been waiting long?" Neptune's mild voice came from behind.

Uranus whirled around and met the lovely girl's blue-eyed gaze. "Uh, no," she breathed. "Not long at all." Her heart threatened to pound its way up through her throat.

Neptune nodded and narrowed her eyes. "Are you well?" she asked with concern.

"I'm fine, really," the blonde said a little too quickly. Okay, no more beating around the bush. Time to tell her. "Neptune, I--"

"You don't need to tell me," she cut in quietly, dropping her gaze to the wooden bridge below her feet. "I know all about it."

Uranus sighed and slumped her shoulders in relief. "You do?" she asked.

"Yes. Venus told me."

"She did?" What was going on?

"I know you two had a past and I'm willing to forget all about it," Neptune continued, oblivious to the blonde's horrified expression. She looked up and met Uranus's green-eyed gaze and smiled winningly.

"No, that's not-"

"Please believe me, Prince Orion."

Prince Orion? Could Neptune really be this naïve? I thought she knew me better than this, Uranus thought darkly. I guess I was wrong.

"Are you sure you're all right?" Neptune asked again.

Uranus nodded and smiled slightly. Extending her arm to the beautiful girl she decided that telling her could wait. She really didn't relish the thought of shattering her evening by telling her that Orion was a spineless fool. With any luck she could get through it without revealing her deceiving   
Identity.

Neptune took the offered arm and with a smile led the tall blonde over the bridge and to a picnic blanket set up next to the bank of the pond. A medium-sized basket was in the center of the blanket, dishes and silverware set up beside it. A tall torch guttered nearby, casting the area with a dim, ruddy light. It was a warm and welcoming sight, and had Uranus been exposed to it under other circumstances she may have enjoyed it.

"What's all this?" she asked, slightly surprised.

"Princess Jupiter heard about our date and set everything up," Neptune replied with a mischievous sparkle in her ocean blue eyes. "Isn't she wonderful?"

Uranus swallowed a lump that had suddenly risen in her throat. The whole scene reminded her of something she had read about in Minako's fashion magazine. The blanket by the pond, the torchlight, the homemade food...it all smelled suspiciously of romance. Orion never told her that this could happen. She was under the impression that this was just supposed to be a kind of meet-and-greet get-to-know-you date. What if everything went well? Would Neptune be expecting   
a kiss? She broke into a cold sweat at the thought. Kissing Neptune would be a dream come true, but it would also be the ultimate deception. She silently damned her brother for the second time that night.

"Aren't you going to sit down?" Neptune asked mildly from her seat on the blanket.

Uranus snapped out of her panic-induced daze and dropped herself rather   
nervously on the blanket across from the smiling princess. She crossed her legs under her and averted her eyes to avoid the other girl's sparkling gaze.

"Chicken?" Neptune asked, holding out a bowl of fried legs and wings.

“No, thank you," she muttered. That's it. Here goes. "Neptune, I didn't come here for food," she said quietly, keeping her eyes focused on her lap.

"I know." Neptune's voice was just as quiet but didn't sound disappointed. Something else was in her voice, and what it was exactly, Uranus couldn't tell. The aqua-haired princess set the bowl of chicken back on the blanket and slowly crept over to the furiously blushing Uranus.

Uranus didn't notice the other girl advance and proceeded to talk into her lap. "I have something really important to tell you," she admitted with a sigh.

"Mmhm."

Uranus's head shot up in terror as she suddenly became aware of another person's presence beside her. She felt Neptune's body heat reacting with her own as if it were a furnace. Her green eyes locked with blue and widened as they got closer, and closer, and closer...until she felt warm hands on her shoulders and even warmer lips pressed to her own. A thrill of excitement raced   
through her body as Neptune pressed her lithe body against her and slid her hands from her shoulders and wrapped them around her neck. Overtaken by this amazing new feeling rushing through her she forgot that it was all a lie and kissed the wonderful girl back. It was sweet, electric, euphoric, and transmitted all her pent-up feelings to the other without words. But soon, it   
had to end. 

Neptune pulled her lips away slowly and regarded the blonde with a smoldering, heavy-lidded gaze. How a fourteen year old girl could manage such a seductive expression was beyond Uranus. Suddenly and horribly, she remembered herself.

"I'm sorry, Neptune," she croaked. "I have to go." She unwound the startled girl's arms from around her neck and jumped to her feet and headed swiftly for the palace.

"Wait!" Neptune cried after her, but it was too late. Uranus had disappeared.

*

Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck! What the hell was she thinking? How the hell could she allow herself to get sucked into that situation? She took advantage of one of the few people she actually, truly loved, and she felt dirty. It was wrong, all wrong. That kiss was meant for   
her brother and she took it without thinking! Fuck!

Uranus kicked open her chamber door and slammed it shut behind her. Without even pausing to close her curtains, she viciously ripped off her clothing and headed for the bathroom. She felt so dirty. She needed to cleanse her body of the terrible deed she'd committed.

She turned on the water and threw herself into the shower without even giving it time to properly heat. She placed her hands on the shower wall to support herself and leaned into the stream as the chilly water poured down her muscled back. It was cold, but she deserved it. Dammit, she was a fool. She should never have agreed to such a brainless plot. Damn her brother for putting her up to it and damn her guilty conscience for going along with it. And most of all, damn her for enjoying every sweet moment of it.

She *had* enjoyed it. In fact, she wanted more but knew dismally that it could never be. The almost-forgotten joke that God had played on her sprang back into her mind and she chuckled ruefully at its memory. Very funny. Very, very funny.

Frustrated, soaked, and chilled to the bone Uranus rather violently switched off the water and grabbed a towel to dry herself off and perhaps rub some warmth back into her body. Damn him, damn her, damn these fucking human emotions! Damn whatever force made me love her and God fucking damn me for letting my guard down! Well, no more! She stormed back into her room and threw the towel to the floor. Rummaging through her wardrobe she found a white tank top and yanked it over her head, then pulled out a pair of her running shorts. Forgetting to wrap her torso and ignoring the dull ache in her chest, she grabbed her shoes and made for the door. She needed to let off some steam.

*

Neptune hesitated in front of the heavy wood door that separated Uranus's room from the bathroom. She had to tell her what really happened, but she was afraid. Steeling herself, she rapped her knuckles on the door and waited for a response. When it didn't come she knocked louder, and again and again until she realized that she was pounding on the door in a panic. She stopped when her fist began to throb and burn, and flung open the door.

The yawning darkness of the room before her made her freeze in her tracks. She had always been a little afraid of the dark. She was ashamed of her childish fear and had no good reason to support why she should be afraid of it, but it made her uneasy nonetheless. Swallowing the fear that rose in her throat, she groped along the wall for a light switch, and upon finding it, flipped it on. The room instantly came alight to reveal a rumpled towel and other articles of clothing on the floor, a wide-open wardrobe, and a pair of shoes...but no Uranus. Panic swelled in her again as her intuition told her that something was very, very wrong.

Thoughts and curses flew out of her head as she pounded along the paths of the darkened gardens. Somewhere along the line night had fallen, and while that would have normally made her running difficult, Uranus welcomed the challenge. She needed something to occupy her mind and help erase all the awful thoughts and feelings that possessed her. 

It was working. Albeit very slowly, but it was working. Her anger calmed and ebbed until it eventually disappeared, but was soon replaced by depression. It was then that she became aware of the terrible pain gripping her chest. She stopped running and fought for air as her breathing became more difficult and dropped to her knees, wrapping her arms around her wounded body. Too soon, she told herself, but too late. The world began to spin.

*

An anguished cry startled the sentry from his daydream. He looked about himself frantically and signaled to his partner, who obviously had also heard the noise. After reporting to their superior they brandished their swords and dashed off into the night in search of who, or what, made the terrible sound. It came again, this time more muffled and followed by others in rapid succession. It sounded like crying. 

What they found in the garden that night would stay with them forever. There, beneath the giant oak, sat a sobbing Princess Neptune with an unconscious Princess Uranus cradled gently in her arms, a trail of blood trickling from her mouth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pretty sure there was a several month gap between this chapter and the next because I was a dramatic asshole.


	7. Chapter 7

Orion stared intensely at the door to his sister's chamber. He needed to go in, he needed to tell her something important, but he knew that no matter what he said everything would remain the same. In her condition she could do nothing to prevent it, and even if she could the Queen would undoubtedly question her judgement and most likely veto any decision made. But he had to tell her. And he had to tell her he came clean and saw everything that happened on the date with Neptune.

He didn't understand it. Before the date he literally ran into the princess of Neptune in the hall and explained everything to her. She knew that it was Uranus and not himself waiting at the bridge, yet she had gone anyway. Curious, he followed. Now he wished he hadn't. What happened? Was Neptune trying to make a fool out of his sister? He doubted that, since they spent almost every waking moment together, unless their schoolwork and music lessons demanded otherwise. They truly seemed to care for one another. Was Neptune stupid? He doubted that, too. Since arriving she quickly overtook all the classes grade-wise and gave his sister and the princess of Mercury a run for their money. What the hell was it? She couldn't have wanted to kiss Uranus, could she? They were both girls. Girls weren't supposed to fall in love with other girls. It was against all laws of nature. Yet, this type of thing wasn't completely unheard of. Was she? Could she? His own sister?

Well, why the hell not? 

Uranus dressed like a man, behaved like a man, found entertainment in "manly" activities, and never once had he even seen her look at a man with interest. And that remark she had made a couple weeks ago about not wanting men's approval. Had she been trying to tell him and he just didn't notice? It all added up. And strangely, it didn't bother him. Somehow he had always suspected but never really gave it any serious thought. Uranus was a lesbian. And Neptune was apparently quite smitten with her. That didn't really bother him, either. He was used to having crushes and was glad that his sister had finally found someone to care about, other than himself. He often wondered if she'd lost her ability to love after their parents' death. He shook his head and sighed. 

It wasn't fair. Ever since their parents died Orion was his sister's only family. They relied on each other for comfort and companionship, and as much as Uranus would probably hate to admit it, love. They were all each other had...until now. Now Orion held in his hand a letter condemning his sister to loneliness. No, not loneliness. She had Neptune now.

Orion's education had been completed on the moon, and his presence was now required back on the planet Uranus. There, he would take up the long-absent throne and rule as the next King of the planet of the winds. He didn't particularly care for the idea, but he had no choice. The planet Uranus needed a king, and he was next in line. But how to tell her? And when? Uranus was still out cold from her self-induced relapse and God only knew how long she'd be that way. Orion had to leave the next morning and there was no way to get the news to her in person before then. A letter would be far too   
impersonal and he knew she'd hate him for it. His home planet was distant and remote, and it wouldn't be easy contacting him. The letter he'd just received was sent over a year ago. No, it had to be done personally, but who could do it for him? Someone to let her down easily, someone to tell her it wasn't his fault.

Neptune.

*

For three days Uranus drifted in and out of consciousness, always on the edge of waking. She felt strangely adrift, detached. It was tiring, floating around in a sea of restlessness. Every time she thought she'd worked up enough energy to finally wake her body would tell her she wasn't ready and send her back into the darkness. Strange and confusing dreams came frequently and without warning or understanding. 

She saw her parents. They were dead, slaughtered by bandits on a back road. Their terrified screams and the smell of dark red blood filled her memory, even though she was never told how they died. She cried out from the pain of it all, but knew that no one could hear her. The images of their gruesome demise played over and over in her mind, changing slightly each time. This time one of the bandits spotted her and gave chase, brandishing a beautiful bejeweled sword. She was afraid of the sword and the awesome power it seemed to possess, and dashed into the trees. She ran with all her energy and strength until she came to a pond and, completely exhausted, collapsed on its shore. She looked over her shoulder at the quickly approaching bandit and willed herself to her rubbery legs. Damn, her chest hurt. She needed to rest. She needed to sleep. But she needed to survive. 

Voices suddenly came to her, quiet and whispery, off in the distance. There were many, all feminine. A tiny speck on the horizon hinted that it was the source, and Uranus decided to give it her all and run toward it.

"I didn't think she'd react that way," said a light voice, laden with sadness.

Uranus recognized it but couldn't place it, but she knew it brought warmth and happiness. She wanted to reach out to it but she wasn't close enough. Faster!

"Then why did you do it?" said another, younger one. Uranus recognized this one, too. What were they talking about? Why were they so God damned far away? Answer, dammit! I can't hear you! There was a painfully long pause before a response came.

"It felt...right."

"I didn't know you were that kind of girl," a third voice teased with a giggle.

Slowly Uranus's mind began to clear and her body stirred slightly in her sleep.

"Oh, hush up, Venus," a fourth warned. "You don't know about these things."

"I'm to be the senshi of love! Don't tell me what I don't know!"

Love? What did that have to do with anything? She was much closer to the speck now and noticed that it looked like a giant oak tree, painted in lovely swirling colors on a light blue and green canvas. It was beautiful, and it was familiar. Her chest really, really hurt, but she pushed on. Unbeknownst to her, her body stirred again, slowly dragging her into consciousness.

"Girls, please! She's waking!" a fifth urged.

Immediately there was silence. Uranus halted. Where did they go? She couldn't find them. She began to panic. Don't leave me with him! She shouted frantically into her mind. Don't leave me with the blood! The sword! I can't find you!

"I thought you said she was waking up, Mercury."

"She is, I'm sure of it."

There! Keep going! She grabbed hold of the tree in front of her and gazed up at the leafy expanse above. Don't stop! I can't hear you! Please, don't leave me alone!

"Haruka," the warm voice said gently, yet urgently, nearby. "Haruka, wake up. Please, Haruka..."

With a gasp she scrambled up the tree just as the bandit slashed at the air behind her with the sword, and entered the comforting arms of darkness.

*

The birds chirped merrily in the bright sunlight, heralding yet another beautiful day for the Moon Kingdom. Annoyed by their thoughtless cheer, Haruka fought to keep herself from hurling her pillow out the window. She wasn't quite ready to wake up. She sleepily groped for one of the throw pillows the princess of Jupiter gave her so she could press it to her head in the hope of either blocking the noise or suffocating. Either outcome would have been appreciated. Her hand came to rest on her soft quarry and without looking, she grabbed it...and met with a sharp gasp. What the hell? Haruka's green eyes flew open and met with the wide, sparkling blue of Neptune.

Haruka's heart stopped. Shocked, she jerked away from her friend and rolled off the bed and onto the floor with a muffled thump. Pain shot through her chest when she landed on the cold marble, but that concerned her less than what she had just seen. Neptune was in her bed.

Perhaps it was her imagination. She often dreamed strange dreams, and Neptune certainly had a habit of finding her way into them as of late. The only difference between her dreams and what she had just seen was that Neptune was fully clothed. What the hell was she doing in her bed? They didn't...do...anything, did they? Of course not, moron, she chided herself. Only wishful thinking.

"Haruka?"

A cold sweat erupted over her body even though the temperature inside the blanket was stifling. Haruka closed her eyes tightly and heaved a sigh. Shit. Hesitantly, she pulled the blanket back far enough to peer up at the luminous face of Neptune gazing down upon her, her gorgeous blue eyes wide with worry.

Idiot, say something. She probably thinks you're dying. "Good morning, Neptune," she managed rather sheepishly.

The aqua-haired girl's eyes shone with unshed tears as she sought Haruka's gaze and locked it with her own. "Haruka," she whispered.

Haruka considered the girl above her. Wide, sparkling blue eyes, perfectly smooth skin attractively flushed, soft aqua tresses, a regal bearing...God, she even looked beautiful when rumpled from sleep. And that dress. The dress to end all dresses. The most perfect light blue silk gown that clung to her every perfect curve, accentuating the color of her eyes perfectly. Everything about her was just...perfect.

Idiot! she chided yet again. Not five minutes awake and already you're thinking about the contents of her dress! Well, it wasn't every day she woke up to find the most perfect girl in the world in her bed. It was only natural. Nothing about you is natural, she reminded herself coldly. Not only are you going to be trained as an ultimate killing machine, but you're in love with another girl. If she wasn't being scrutinized by Neptune, she would have laughed. Neptune. 

Haruka found herself blushing as she snapped out of her reverie and returned the girl's gaze. No more time for these thoughts. Life just got a lot more complicated.

"H-have you been here long?" Haruka immediately berated herself for asking. What a stupid thing to say.

Neptune only nodded her aqua head slightly. She didn't break her gaze for a nanosecond, which unnerved Haruka just a bit.

There was a pregnant pause as Haruka struggled to find something else to say. There were many questions to which she wanted to know the answers, but she was too afraid to ask them. She didn't remember anything about what happened and was petrified to think she could have harmed Neptune in any way. The girl was looking at her so strangely.

A single sparkling tear traced a gentle trail down Neptune's smooth cheek. Haruka resisted the urge to reach up and wipe it away. The tear lingered momentarily under the other girl's small chin and eventually released itself into the air. The intensity with which it struck Haruka's hand surprised her. She inspected the patch of salty water on her skin in odd fascination. She'd caused this somehow. She hated knowing she was the one who brought about this watery expression, yet she couldn't tear herself away. How did she do this?

A muffled cry came from above and Haruka suddenly found herself wrapped tightly in Neptune's arms. "Neptune," she chuckled. "What--" 

And then she heard it.

"I'm sorry, Haruka. Oh, I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry..."

Haruka blinked in wonder and wrapped her arms around her sobbing, shaking friend. What in the world?

"I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry..."

*

"Are you going to be all right?" Neptune asked gently.

Haruka paused a moment to let everything sink in and nodded slowly. After soothing the Princess of Neptune they relocated to the bed, where Haruka sat leaning against the headboard with her eyes closed as her friend relayed everything that had happened over the past few days, including her brother's departure. Curiously, she didn't mention her date.

"I just wish I could have been able to say goodbye," she said quietly.

Neptune's flawless face fell. "I'm sorry," she said in a small voice.

"You keep saying that," Haruka told her with a chuckle. "I wish you wouldn't."

Her face colored slightly and she dropped her gaze to the blanket below her. "I'm sorry."

Haruka smiled slightly and shook her head. It seemed to her that Neptune didn't even know what she was apologizing for, yet she wasn't going to win this one. "Did he say anything else before he left?" she pressed. She selfishly wanted to know if he'd admitted his dark plan for the date.

"No," Neptune replied with a toss of her lovely head. "He was rather hurried."

The blonde heaved a sigh and winced, rubbing her lower ribs. Part of the afternoon's activities had been spent rewrapping her chest, much to her embarrassment. She was able to keep Neptune at bay long enough to do it herself, but only received a stern lecture afterward. It always hurt to have her bandages redressed and this time she did it a little tighter than needed. Anything to keep her mind from wandering into uncharted territory. She was with Neptune now and she wanted to savor the time with her, not sink into a depressed analyzation of how she was the laughing stock of the cosmic community.

Neptune noticed the pain in her face and started in worry, but Haruka held up her hand, smiling.

"I'm all right, Neptune. Really."

The beautiful girl nodded slowly, but it was clear she didn't believe her.

She sighed in resignation. "Would you...would you like to go to the kitchen with me? I haven't eaten in days and I'm starving."

The request had its desired effect, for Neptune's face brightened immediately with a large and sparkling smile.

*

Weeks passed, and Haruka became stronger and healthier by the day. She found she no longer needed to wrap her torso in bandages, much to her relief and Neptune's worry. The aqua girl still didn't believe her to be healing properly even though the doctor gave her full permission to begin exercising and her senshi training within a week. This news came to Haruka as a welcome relief from boredom and physical degradation, as well as a great challenge to catch up to the other girls, but not so for Neptune. Neptune had postponed the start of her training to keep watch over Haruka. Haruka was touched that her friend would do such a thing for her and was hard-pressed to tell her to do what was best for herself, so she was selfish. With her brother gone she enjoyed Neptune's companionship more and more. With the aqua-haired girl she wasn't alone; in fact, she   
was anything but alone. She was complete, and she wanted to hang onto it. Being self-indulgent had never been quite as satisfying.

The mere thought of Orion was enough to infuriate her. She knew the irrationality of her anger but didn't care. She needed to be angry at someone, and his absence made him a convenient target. She knew what happened couldn't be helped, and once again found satisfaction in her selfishness. At least it wasn't her.

Haruka wondered guiltily when she'd next see her brother. Probably not until the end of her training, or a state function honoring foreign visitors. State functions were few and far between, however, so she didn't set her hopes on that. Seeing Orion any time before her graduation from senshi training was probably completely out of the question. She sighed heavily and shook her head. Another four years.

Neptune looked up from her book at Haruka's sigh and frowned slightly. It was raining, and the two girls decided to spend the day in each other's quiet company in Neptune's sea-colored room. The blonde had installed herself on the windowsill with Neptune across from her, and until moments ago was lost staring at the falling rain.

"Are you all right?" Neptune asked quietly.

"Hm?" Haruka asked. "Yeah, I'm all right. I was just thinking."

Neptune marked her book with a piece of green ribbon and closed it, setting it aside. "About what?" she inquired, cocking her head in such a fashion as to make Haruka grow weak. She averted her eyes quickly and chuckled.

"About my brother. You. Everything." She couldn't believe she just said that, but it was too late to revoke it.

The other girl blinked in surprise. "Me?"

May as well blunder on ahead. "Yeah." Dumb answer! Blunder is right!

"Well, what about me?"

Haruka chuckled softly again. She guessed this particular truth wouldn't do any damage. Besides, everyone needed a little friendly confirmation of their relationship, no matter what level. "I was thinking about how lonely I could have been if you weren't here," she said simply, but truthfully. To her pleasure, a slight color rose in Neptune's porcelain cheeks.

"Oh."

"I never thanked you for caring for me," Haruka continued softly. "I don't know what I would have done without you." She meant it, every word. She wanted to say more but didn't think it appropriate, or the right time. Someday.

A bright and shining smile broke its way through the demurely attractive stain slowly seceding from Neptune's face. She dropped her gaze to her hands shyly, not knowing what to say in return.

Haruka grinned slightly. This moment seemed to her one of those perfect moments where she felt completely at ease with herself, her feelings, and the object of her desire seated no more than five inches from her. All she needed to do was reach out with minimal effort and she'd be able to touch Neptune's beautiful face, wrap her arms around her waist, kiss her supple lips, and lose herself in her intoxicating embrace forever. She felt the color in her cheeks rise with her body temperature, but paid it no heed when there came a knock at the door.

Neptune gave her friend a mysterious look and crossed the room to the large, ornate door. She opened it and stepped aside to reveal a somber-looking Queen Serenity.

Haruka immediately clambered to her feet and mustered a rushed bow. Neptune bowed as well, but managed to be quite a bit more graceful.

The Queen acknowledged their greetings and inclined her head as well, noting the flushed state of her girls' faces. She idly wondered if they had been doing something they shouldn't have, but decided not to make mention of it now. She didn't call on her beloved wards for a lecture, or a social visit.

"Neptune, Uranus," she said, nodding to each girl in turn. Her eyes lingered on Neptune, the expression on her face soft and gentle. It wasn't unusual for the Queen to look gently upon her girls, but her eyes...so sad. It worried her. "Neptune, I have something very grave we need to discuss," she said, taking the Neptunian princess's hand. "Would you leave us, Uranus?"

Haruka swallowed a lump that had risen in her throat and nodded. She disappeared through the adjoining door and closed it behind her. She stood a moment, puzzling over whether or not she should eavesdrop. It was impolite to intrude upon their privacy, but the look in Serenity's eyes...she couldn't get it out of her head. She threw all etiquette to the winds and pressed her ear to the door, but found to her dismay that the heavy oak would not betray their secrets. It was frustrating. Something was going on in that room that would affect Neptune greatly, and she knew it. She wanted to know what it was, to make sure it wouldn't harm her Neptune. She cursed the makers of the door for constructing such a well-made product, and turned to leave. It was then that she heard it: A broken wail, followed by choked and inconsolable sobs.

Haruka spun on her heel and rushed to the door, staring at it in absolute horror. Neptune was in there. Her Neptune. Her Michiru. She put her hand on the doorknob and willed herself to turn it, but found that she couldn't. What was wrong with her? Why couldn't she break the seal and go to her? She wanted nothing more but to comfort her as Michiru had done for her before, but something held her back. Fear. Was she afraid of what she'd find inside? Was she afraid that she couldn't be the friend Michiru needed? Was she afraid of being rejected?

Yes, she was afraid.

Haruka sighed and leaned against the door, allowing her forehead to drop to the cool wood. She closed her eyes tightly against the world and her ears against Michiru's pain. Fear was a very frightening, and very crippling thing.

 

Haruka snapped awake as the bathroom door struck her backside. As soon as she was coherent enough to register the pain she yelped and scooted across the marble floor, away from the offending slab of wood.

The door opened fully and Queen Serenity smiled an amused smile at her young ward, who was wide-eyed and prostrate on the floor. Haruka made to scramble to her feet, but Serenity held up her hand.

"Stay where you are, Uranus," she intoned quietly and shut the door behind her.

"How is she?" Haruka demanded with more emotion than she intended, or thought herself capable. "What happened? Is she going to be all right? What's going on?"

The Queen held her hand up again to quell the blonde's breathless questions. "She's hurting very badly right now, Uranus," she told her. The alarm in Uranus's face was almost too priceless for Serenity to continue. Uranus apparently cared for Neptune very much, even though she was afraid to show it. Her heart ached at the thought of telling her that they must be separated. 

"Uranus," she began quietly, "something happened to the King and Queen of Neptune today."

The Queen didn't even have to say it. Haruka could tell by her expression and tone of voice that they were both dead, and that Michiru must return home. "When will Michiru be leaving?" she asked softly.

Serenity raised an eyebrow at Uranus's slip of the tongue. "Presently."

"For how long?"

"Indefinitely."

Haruka fought back the sinking sensation forming in her stomach at the prospect of life without Michiru. Would she be able to handle it? Stop being so selfish, Haruka, she admonished herself. Michiru is grieving.

"I have to say good-bye," she whispered, scrambling to her feet. "I have to tell her--" What? How she felt? How much she was going to miss her? She couldn't say that. Especially not now. Something like this would likely throw the poor girl over the edge. "Where is she?" she asked.

"Most likely on her way to the port by now. You'd better hurry."

Haruka nodded and yanked the bathroom door open and flew across Michiru's chamber floor. She hadn't thought about what she was going to say, and honestly didn't really intend to say anything of value. She just wanted to see Michiru's face one more time before she was to give her up forever. She reached the bedroom door and threw it open with a loud resounding crack that echoed down the hall and made a particular patron pause and turn. Green eyes locked with blue as Haruka stepped out of the doorway and into her own personal hell.

Michiru stood not thirty feet from her. She looked tired, drawn; not the Michiru she grew to admire and love. Her face was creased with a slight frown and her eyes were red, swollen, and dull. No light reached them. Her posture was low and limp and belied her inner struggle to remain erect. she looked nothing like herself, yet Haruka had never wanted to be with her more in her entire life.

A low cry emanated from the aqua-haired girl's throat, and the next thing Haruka knew she was inhaling the sweet scent of her Michiru's hair and enjoying the sensation of her small arms wrapped about her taller frame, her lithe body pressed against hers. It took her by surprise, but once she got over the initial shock Haruka hugged her tightly, protectively. As soon as it began, however, it was over. Michiru pulled away with a choked sob and fled down the hall and out of Haruka's life forever.

*

They were all talking about her, Haruka knew...yet she found it hard to care. Everyone was asking about the princess who was suddenly struck dumb, or the princess who went insane, or the princess whom they feared possessed by a devil and in seclusion. Never once did they actually think that she was simply depressed, but she was far from concerned. Let them think what they wanted.

The few weeks since Michiru's departure passed by in a dark blur. She knew it was stupid to base all her happiness on one person, but she couldn't help it. Love sucks, she told herself for the umpteenth time that day. Was it even day? She drew her shades closed tight enough to successfully block out all light, so it was hard to tell. Lord knows she didn't keep track. How could one focus on the little things when their heart was in ruins?

Michiru was gone, and Haruka was alone. Sure, she'd had visitors, but never answered the door. After knocking for a few moments the intruders usually got the hint and left her alone. It finally got to the point where Haruka didn't even notice them anymore. She did her best to avoid people. After joining society in her depressed state for a few days, she quickly learned that she didn't like their pitiful gazes and sought to be rid of them. She couldn't avoid them altogether, however. She usually passed one or two servants during her midnight raids upon the kitchen. She may not have liked to see them, but she had to eat. After a time it occurred to her that these servants had informed Queen Serenity, because she began finding fully-prepared meals left out in the kitchen. Serenity was indulging her her self pity. Haruka didn't know whether to hate her for allowing her   
pain to continue or to be grateful.

She slept little. Or a lot. Her body couldn't decide if it was tired. She certainly didn't feel energized, but sleep was sometimes hard to come by. When she did sleep, she dreamed. They were always very confusing dreams and she usually woke more exhausted than when she fell asleep. It was common for her to wake feeling empty and devoid of emotion. When she reflected on that, she hated it, but she couldn't help it.

She cried often, usually at the oddest times. She'd never cried in her life, yet she found herself sobbing uncontrollably into her pillow, hands, knees. She didn't know she had such emotion stored in her. It came as a frightening surprise. 

This particular span of time was rough. She'd given up calling her time days or nights, considering the only indication she had of the division was her growling stomach. She figured it was night, for she was feeling a bit peckish. She had yet to work up the desire to drag herself down to the kitchen, and sat on the windowsill with her arms wrapped about her legs.

There came a knock at the door.

Haruka ignored it, like she always did. They would go away.

Another knock.

She leaned her head against the wall.

Again, a knock.

Didn't they get the clue they were unwanted?

Knock.

Persistent son of a bitch.

Knock knock.

Haruka was getting annoyed. All she wanted was peace and quiet.

Knock knock knock, then...silence.

She sighed quietly and closed her eyes, unaware that there was a key turning in the lock. A pointed click echoed in the quiet chamber and Haruka looked up to find Madam Delta gazing at her sorrowfully.

"Uranus," the large woman greeted solemnly.

The blonde scrubbed her cheek with the back of her hand and looked at her with bloodshot eyes. "Madam Delta," she returned, the false conviction apparent in her voice. "I haven't seen you lately. What have you been doing?"

"Trying to figure out what to do with you," she said. 

Haruka chuckled emotionlessly and rested her head against the marble wall.

"I know what's going on, Uranus," Madam Delta continued sternly. "You can't hide it from me."

The blonde's green eyes flashed dangerously at the large woman. "You don't know anything," she growled.

"You're in love with her." It was a statement, not a question.

Haruka shrank inside at her governess's words. She thought she'd hidden her feelings well. If Madam Delta could figure it out, who else knew? She was too exhausted to think about it then. She closed her eyes and hung her head. "Does the Queen know?" she asked sadly.

"No. I neglected to tell her."

Haruka looked up at her suspiciously. "Isn't it the Queen's business to know everything about her senshi?" she asked. 

"Under normal circumstances, yes. However, I am not her spy. May I sit down?" The plump woman gestured to the window seat beside her brooding charge. When the girl nodded she dropped herself onto the marble sill with a labored sigh. It was then she noticed Haruka watching her strangely. "Let me tell you a story, Uranus," she said.

"Great," Haruka muttered distastefully.

"Hearken to my words, girl," Delta threatened. "This story will do you good."

The large woman's tone caught the princess's attention and she decided to give in to her wishes. Even though she wasn't in the mood, a story certainly couldn't hurt.

Noticing that her insubordinate charge had relented, Madam Delta began. "In a small village on the outskirts of the kingdom there lived a very special young woman. She was tall, beautiful, talented musically and enjoyed athletics as much as the local boys."

Haruka groaned. "Let me guess...her name was Uranus," she said.

"No," Madam Delta snapped. "Her name was Io. She was sweet, kind, and confident, and damn well more enjoyable to be around than you. All the men fought for her favor, but she never gave them a second glance. Everyone thought it was because she was so special no man would be able to complement her. Then one day she fell in love. Unfortunately, no one but her love would share in her happiness, for her love was another woman."

Haruka suddenly grew angry. "Is this one of those moral stories? If you're going to tell me that they were banished from the village because of their 'perversion' I don't want to hear it."

"Quiet!" Madam Delta roared, shaking a whitened fist. "For once in your damned life you will listen to me, Princess of Uranus. Those two girls were killed for their feelings, not banished! They were burned alive inside their home in the night while their loved ones and protectors watched on helplessly!" The woman's large frame shook with anger and tears of rage flowed freely down her broad cheeks. "The cruel villagers kept the fire blazing for three days to satisfy their bloodlust. Soon after the girls families and friends were banished. Do you understand what I'm saying, Uranus?" 

Haruka swallowed the lump that had risen in her throat and nodded numbly. She felt sick. People actually did that because of love? Love was supposed to be filled with flames of passion, not death. How could anyone do what they did and understand the true nature of humanity's greatest asset? Once again humans had proven themselves untrustworthy and devoid of honor. Small wonder she was being trained to kill them. 

"Hide what you are, Uranus. Tell no one, not even your brother. Do you understand?" Madam Delta's hard gray eyes softened when she saw the stricken expression on her charge's face. "You're young, Uranus," she began more warmly, though intensely, "yet you're so old. You already know the injustice of government and the loneliness of being an orphan. You don't need the danger that would follow if the world were to learn of your secret. Royalty or not, your life would be threatened. I don't like telling you this, but it needed to be said."

The blonde nodded again and hugged her knees to her chest, her faith in the human race hanging in the balance. "Would you mind leaving, Madam Delta?" she asked quietly. "I'd like to be alone now." She desperately needed to think things through.

The large woman rose from her seat and crossed to the room to the door, but Uranus's voice stopped her from opening it.

"Madam Delta? Thank you."

She nodded gravely and left the room, closing the door behind her. It wasn't enough, but it was for the best.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "There came a knock at the door.
> 
> Haruka ignored it, like she always did. They would go away.
> 
> Another knock.
> 
> She leaned her head against the wall.
> 
> Again, a knock.
> 
> Didn't they get the clue they were unwanted?
> 
> Knock.
> 
> Persistent son of a bitch.
> 
> Knock knock."
> 
> MASTERFUL STORYTELLING, AMIRITE?


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The thrilling conclusion.

With Orion and Michiru gone, Haruka had nothing left but to either wallow in self-pity or continue with her life. Madam Delta's tale of deadly love stirred something within her, and she came to the conclusion that she wasn't going to allow that very thing to happen to her. She heeded her governess's advice and kept her feelings to herself, and resolved to live her life as normally as possible. With that decided, she threw herself into her training.

It wasn't easy. The other girls were about two months ahead of her and she struggled painfully at the very beginning, but showed nothing for fear of being pulled until she healed fully. The last thing she wanted was to be alone with her thoughts, so she endured. After a time the training became easier and she quickly surpassed the weaker girls, but Jupiter was a tough adversary. Because they were closer in size and stature than the others, they usually chose to spar against one another for extra practice. Jupiter was a strong girl and usually laid Haruka out on the grass to dry, but the day Haruka threw her to the ground like a sack of grain was a great turning point. Since then she was unbeatable and it made her proud. Very much unlike how she used to feel, she now liked physical confrontation and although she loathed admitting it, she liked the fact that she could seriously hurt someone if needed. The need would most likely never arise, however, for who would go against Queen Serenity's dominion?

As Haruka and her talent as a senshi became stronger, so did the walls around her heart and mind. She quietly withdrew from palace society and concentrated solely on becoming even more powerful than before. She was respected as a warrior and feared for her stoic silence, but that was all anyone ever saw of her. Even the other princesses ceased trying to hold her attention. It was a little lonely, but therapeutic, for it kept her from remembering.

Years passed, expectedly, and although Haruka aged her memories never faded. She now regarded her time with Michiru as something special and never dwelled on it for more than a few minutes, lest it sadden her. She often wondered how the Neptunian queen was faring alone on the throne, and those thoughts always led to her brother. She'd received a few letters from him here and there, telling her of palace news and his new life in a thriving world. He was married. How that irresponsible boy could hold a wife was beyond her, but he assured her he was happy, and in turn she was happy for him. She was sad that she couldn't have attended the wedding, but as usual, her training took precedence. Orion sent her photographs, and that had to be enough. To his credit, he had married a truly magnificent girl.

Not a word from Michiru, though. Not a single word. Every now and then news of her accomplishments would trickle down to Haruka's eager ears, but never anything of substance. Michiru had changed the Neptunian economy for the better, established new laws, and generally made her people happy, but Haruka never heard anything about how she was doing, or what she looked like, or if she was still playing the violin. If she was married.

Marriage. If there ever existed a word that could leave such a foul taste in her mouth, that would be it. Fucking marriage. Since Haruka wasn't a sitting ruler of her home planet she wasn't required to marry and produce an heir, much to her relief. But Michiru was. She was the only surviving member of the Neptune royal line. That meant the royalty ended with her unless she had a child. Knowing Michiru and her gentle ways, she'd be a slave to her duty and probably pop out two or ten of the little buggers just to make sure she didn't flub things up. Haruka shuddered. The mere thought of a man...infecting...Michiru was enough to make her want to retch. No man deserved to do that to her. No man even deserved to touch her. Nor any woman. Not even herself. No, especially not herself. She wasn't worthy of anything other than killing people. How could bloodied hands ever touch something so pure?

Enough of that. That was years ago. What ever happened to looking upon those memories fondly? Funny how one could lie to oneself so convincingly.

Haruka tore her thoughts away from...that...and concentrated on her surroundings instead. She stood against the wall, surveying the crowd of partygoers as they danced, mingled, and dined in Queen Serenity's gaily-decorated ballroom. The occasion was not one of which she particularly approved. Two months prior to the night's festivities there had been a major attack on the galaxy, and under Haruka's direction they were saved and the enemy sorely defeated. She had been run through the belly with a sword during the melee, and while the mental anguish of her near-death experience had faded, she was left with an ugly jagged scar and spent two months in the infirmary to get it. Two months too long, in her opinion. She felt fine after one, but the Queen insisted and she obeyed out of duty. She didn't want to admit it, but she was glad of it. She needed the rest and time to collect herself. As soon as the infirmary announced that she was well enough to leave, the Queen announced there was to be ball that night in honor of Haruka's "heroic" deeds. Now that Haruka was present and she could see the grandiose nature of the celebration she realized it had probably taken the Queen that extra month to put everything together without her knowledge. It wasn't just a half-baked attempt at a party: it was a *real* party. Even the dignitaries or their emissaries from the other planets were in attendance...all save the planet Neptune. Haruka received a formal apology from Queen Serenity about the obvious absence, but it didn't matter. The slap to the face had been delivered and the damage done.

Haruka tore her thoughts away from Michiru for the second time that night and sighed, leaned against the wall, and looked up. About twenty feet away from her two pretty young ladies watching her blushed and whispered to one another. Haruka chuckled and shook her head. Any kind of social event whatsoever always managed to place her in rather uncomfortable situations with the young female attendees. Even though her name was known throughout the kingdom, people always assumed she was a man. War heroes were generally men. Now more than ever she was mistaken as such, but it was very much her own fault for choosing to wear men's clothing instead of the feminine frills of the day. The only thing she couldn't control was her overly handsome features. Such was life.

Leaning against the wall presented the air that she didn't want to be approached without looking bored. After accepting the gratitude and hands of almost everyone in the room, the last thing she wanted or needed was another hollow conversation. It also gave her a certain vantage point. She could see if anyone ignored her silent warning and could therefore flee in a manner that hid her real desire to run very far away. She never wanted to appear rude even though she was very obviously so. Appearances mattered greatly to the court. Sometimes moreso than actual intent.

A flash of aquamarine off to her left caught Haruka's eye and caused her heart to leap. She searched the crowd with wide, surprised eyes, but to no avail. She was seeing things, she had to be. Someone was wearing a dress frighteningly close to her hair color, that's all. That's all. She didn't come, dammit. Get a grip.

But she couldn't. She was on edge now. Expectant. Another flash to her right. What the hell was going on? Was someone deliberately trying to toy with her? She again searched the crowd, her anger growing with every tedious second. If she ever got her hands on the son of a bitch who...

And there she was, right before her in all her vivid beauty. Smiling. Haruka shook her head sharply and closed her eyes to clear her mind of the mirage. It was the antibiotics she was given to ward off infection from her wound, it had to be. The antibiotics and champagne she was forced to drink during Serenity's toast to her exploits were causing her to hallucinate. Neptune wasn't there. But when she opened her eyes again, she was. This time she wore a slightly puzzled frown. Bloody hell...she wasn't a hallucination.

Haruka openly stared at the woman before her, everything she knew or loved or even what she didn't know she loved crashing in on her mind and heart. No, she was over her. Completely and totally over her. Yet she was speechless.

Michiru saved her the embarrassment of having to come up with something to say.

"Hi."

"H-hi." Shit, she was nervous.

"How are you?"

"I'm fine. How are you?" Why was she nervous?

"Fine."

"Good." 

There was a pregnant pause as Haruka pondered what to say next. Should she continue with small talk? Ask her about her life and kingdom? Why she ran away from her in tears and never responded to a single letter she sent, effectively destroying what little ability to love she had left and leaving her a lonely and bitter soldier? To say she was overwhelmed by the woman's unexpected presence would have been a gross understatement. She didn't trust her mouth, so silent she remained.

"Thank you," Michiru said suddenly.

"Pardon?"

"For saving the universe." She gestured at the mass of partygoers dancing and chatting happily, relief flooding out of them in the form of excitement and joviality.

"I did no such thing."

"You can't lie to me or anyone else about that, Haruka. They all know what you did, and they're grateful for it. I'm grateful." Her face softened with a gentle yet mischievous smile. "At the very least, you've given them a reason to celebrate."

The name Michiru used caused a cold knot to form deep in her belly. "I have good troops."

"Don't be so humble," she replied quietly. "You were injured badly."

"They were very brave."

"They would follow you into Hell if you told them they never stood a chance of ever returning. Only a good leader has that kind of power."

Haruka started to protest but Michiru held up a slender and silencing hand. "No more, Haruka. Try to enjoy the party; it is in your honor, after all." The aqua-haired queen fixed Haruka with such a commanding gaze that she was hard-pressed to argue further. "Now, dance with me."

Haruka didn't even have time to say anything before she was firmly hauled from her perch near the wall to the center of the ballroom. The frilled and liveried guests parted to make room for their celebrated war hero and the Queen of Neptune amidst titters and gasps and murmurs of either jealousy or scandal. Haruka grimaced slightly in distaste of their behavior but her expression soon turned to that of surprise when she felt her hand being placed on Michiru's hip. She swallowed hard at their sudden closeness but allowed the smaller woman to manipulate her into prime dancing position. A twinkle sparkled in Michiru's eyes as the ensemble began a waltz. Haruka automatically led, glad for once that she didn't need to think about something.

"You've changed," the other woman noted, her musical voice tinged with amusement.

"So have you." Well, it was true.

"You never used to be so subservient."

"You never used to be so commanding."

"Touché," she laughed warmly. "I'm afraid it comes with the position."

Haruka nodded her blonde head in understanding. Power and responsibility changes everything.

They danced in uncomfortable silence for a few moments, neither one looking at the other. Michiru suddenly halted with a sigh.

"I know it's probably impolite for you to leave your guests, but can we go somewhere to talk?"

Haruka looked at her, surprised, but not entirely unwilling. She desperately wanted to talk to her, but at the same time wanted nothing more than to crawl under her bed and remain there for the rest of her days. She didn't give a hang about the people around her or what they thought of her if she left them. They were probably too self-absorbed to even miss her passing, anyway. She nodded once to show Michiru she was more than willing to depart, and after fighting off four separate attempts made by young ladies to get her to dance, she led her past the throngs and out of the ballroom into the marble corridor.

Once outside Haruka heaved a sigh of relief and smiled awkwardly at her old friend. Now what?

Michiru answered her unspoken question. "Walk with me."

The blonde nodded and followed her through the gaily-lit hallways until they reached the door leading to the gardens. Haruka was surprised Michiru remembered where it was, but held the door open unquestioningly. Michiru threw her a smile over her shoulder as she passed through the door and out into the starry night. The blonde shook her head again. She hoped she was strong enough for this. She closed the door behind her after nodding her greeting to the stationed sentry and quickened her pace to catch up to the smaller woman, who had found a path heading toward the pond.

Great, the source of all her trouble. Where it all began. Why was it everything had to happen around that silly little body of water? Its only function was to provide an easily accessible area for personal torture and attacks on her sanity. Not exactly in the mood to question, Haruka doggedly followed. When she eventually caught up to her she found Michiru sitting by the pond's edge, looking out across the water. The earthlight reflected from the surface of the pond cast a soft glow onto her skin and cream-colored silk dress. Haruka walked up and stood beside her, hands firmly planted in her pockets. She paused a moment to look down at her friend, quickly noting how absolutely gorgeous she was in that dress, but then averted her eyes and fixed them on a point across the pond.

What did she want? If she came here just to fulfill some sort of court obligation, she had plenty of occasions to do it in the past. Why now? What was so goddamned special about this day? Sure, she'd done something everyone else was proud of but she'd done those things before. Could it be Michiru actually missed her? No. She was the one who was in love, not the other way around. Something was amiss. Her mind raced through a thousand possibilities from marriage to terminal illness (the former creating the latter, in her opinion). What the hell was it?

"It's beautiful here, isn't it?" the woman in question said quietly from below.

Haruka looked at her briefly before responding. "Yes." Stupid answer.

"It's a lovely night."

"Yes." Again.

"Why didn't you ever reply to my letters?" Her voice was soft, yet demanding.

The blonde blinked. Letters? "I never received any," she replied, slightly bewildered.

"I sent one every day for more than a year."

"I never saw a single one." This was getting more puzzling by the second.

Michiru looked up at Haruka with wide, glistening eyes. "I hated you for not writing," she continued softly. "I waited every day for a reply but none came. I thought you never wanted to speak to me again."

Wait a minute. Haruka was supposed to say that. Now even more confused, she sat herself beside the aqua-haired beauty and wrapped her arms about her knees. "You know that's not true," she said gently. "I wrote to you as often as I could. I gave up when I never received any replies." So the plot thickens.

Michiru cocked her head in puzzlement and considered the blonde's words, her glorious blue eyes searching the face before her for any hint of dishonesty. Finding none, she nodded slowly and accepted the unknown. "You're not angry with me?" she asked just to be sure.

Haruka chuckled softly and shook her head while secretly seething. "Of course not. I'm mystified," she lied. She suspected Madam Delta had something to do with it and would have a talk with her later. A rather long and heated talk that would probably land her on laundry duty for a month. Even though she was twenty years old and now one of the Queen's senshi Madam Delta made it quite clear she was still her charge and therefore subject to discipline as deemed appropriate. Haruka could lead men into battle and decide whether they lived or died, but she couldn't send a simple letter to a friend. Somewhere someone's priorities were a bit crossed.

"I've missed you," she said suddenly.

Haruka flinched involuntarily. Michiru was as sweet as ever. If she wasn't careful she'd likely fall in love with her again. Oh, whom was she kidding? She never fell out of love in the first place.

"Say something humorous and disarming, like you used to," the smaller woman instructed lightly.

Huh? "Sorry." Right.

"That's not exactly what I was expecting," Michiru laughed. "You're a woman of few words these days."

Michiru's tinkling laughter set the blonde at ease and she managed a sheepish grin. "Did you hear my brother was married?" she asked.

"That poor woman."

Now it was Haruka's turn to laugh. "I hear they're quite happy. She's apparently just as vacant as he is."

Michiru tried very hard to stifle her mirth but only succeeded in causing herself quite a bit of pain. "Such kind words for your brother," she giggled.

"Well, what about you?" It pained her to ask, but she had to know.

"What? Married? Oh, gods no," the Neptunian queen replied a little too cheerfully. "My advisors tried that three years ago but it didn't take. The silly fellow they chose for me wasn't cut out for the job."

Relief flooded over her, followed immediately by futility. It didn't matter if Michiru was married or not, for she had a snowball's chance on the sun with her.

"You did the same thing, as I recall."

"He was an ass," Haruka growled automatically.

"I noticed he kept trying to look down your shirt."

"Tell me about it. What a perv--wait." It suddenly dawned on her that it was impossible for Michiru to know these things without having been there. "How do you know about that?"

Michiru's blue eyes glittered lightly in the darkness as she smiled knowingly. "You received the great sword on the day of your graduation. I received the aqua mirror."

The famed aqua mirror that could see anyone from anywhere, be they friend or foe. So that's how she... "You've been watching me?" she asked in surprise.

Michiru nodded with that mysterious and amused smile of hers.

This was more than just a little embarrassing. "What did you see?" she demanded.

"Oh, nothing," the other woman replied enigmatically.

Haruka gave her friend a sidelong look and grumbled to herself.

Michiru laughed and stood. "I think I'd like a swim. Care to join me?" She gestured toward the inky black circle of water.

The blonde blinked. "In that? No, thanks. It's cold and dark and I've nothing to wear."

"Oh, that's no problem," Michiru replied...then did something truly, completely, and undeniably unexpected.

As the cream-colored dress dropped to the grass Haruka's green eyes widened and her entire body blushed. She tore her gaze from the scene before her and concentrated on her lap instead. She didn't just see Michiru in her undergarments she didn't just see Michiru in her undergarments she didn't just see Michiru in her undergarments she didn't just see Michiru in her undergarments she didn't just see Michiru in her undergarments she didn't...holy shit, she looked better than she'd ever imagined.

Michiru teetered a bit and held her arms out for balance as she cautiously made her way into the cool pond. The rocky bottom made it hard to navigate and she stumbled more than once before she even made it in up to her knees. She threw Haruka a slight smile over her shoulder as she waded further into the water.

Haruka watched her soft, lithe form in breathless appreciation. She didn't think it was possible, but Michiru had become even more beautiful during her absence from the palace. When she had left she was a beautiful young girl with attributes only hinting at physical perfection, but now she was a grown woman and the promise had been fulfilled. Words weren't enough to express how wonderful she now was. Haruka chuckled quietly to herself and shook her blonde head. All the deeply buried emotions from her youth had resurfaced and were now nipping at her, yelling for her to finally take some initiative and tell Michiru how she felt, how lonely she had been for the past six years, how much she wanted her. But not now. They had just been reunited, and it wouldn't do to profess her feelings so soon. But I will do it, she told herself firmly.

The hypnotic sway of the little water nymph's hips as they sank into the black water broke and Haruka found herself staring into Michiru's deep ocean eyes instead. They glittered at her as if they knew exactly what Haruka was thinking. She averted her eyes quickly and brought her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms about them in her classic position.

Michiru smiled mysteriously and submerged the rest of her body in the pond. She whooped with delight as the cool swirling waters enveloped her in its soothing arms.

"Haruka!" she laughed. "Why don't you join me? It's lovely!"

"No thanks," the blonde grumbled. "I prefer to be a landlubber."

"Awwwww," Michiru pouted, and swam a little closer to the shore. She stood in the thigh-deep water and reached a slender arm down to grab herself a pebble, holding back her thick aqua hair with the other.

Haruka's eyes affixed themselves on the woman's glistening body as she searched for the right stone. To her horror, she began to feel a little antsy. She shifted her position so that her long legs were extended in front of her and she was sitting on her hands, afraid to let them alone. She bit her lip in concentration to get any and all erotic images out of her mind. 

Without her realizing, Michiru had become curious about why she was staring so intently at her lap and had crawled out of the water. She knelt in front of the blonde with a concerned look on her flawless face.

"Haruka?" she questioned, reaching out a slender hand to brush a stray lock of hair away from the other woman's face.

Haruka startled and shrank back at the electric touch. "Yes?" she croaked. Damn, she was a fool.

"Haruka, are you all right?" Michiru asked. "You're not ill, are you?"

"No, I'm-I'm fine," she said breathlessly.

The graceful queen's eyes darkened at the obvious lie. "Haruka," she began again. "Do I make you...uncomfortable?"

Haruka's eyes snapped up to meet Michiru's. "No, not at all," she lied again. "What makes you think that?"

She looked away. "It's just that . . . whenever we're alone, you become so quiet," she murmured. "I thought it was me."

It is you, Michiru, Haruka thought sadly. But I can't tell you that yet.

"I've seen the way you look at me, Haruka," she continued, turning back and meeting the blonde's wide-eyed gaze. "I know what you're thinking. I can see it in your eyes."

Haruka's heart stopped. She can't know! There's no way! Her mind reeled and panicked as she tried to grope for an explanation, any explanation other than the truth. What could she say? What could she tell her to stave off the truth for just one more night?

"You don't have to say anything, Haruka," Michiru told her gently, as if she'd read her thoughts.

Haruka closed her eyes and hung her head in shame. She had fought the battle and lost. Michiru knew everything. This was the end. She waited sadly for the angry words of rejection and humiliation to follow, but they never came. Soft lips suddenly met her own and her eyes flew open in terror and focused. 

Michiru was kissing her. 

Haruka's vision blurred for a moment, then her eyelids closed. Wonderful and exciting warmth spread down her throat and tingled and danced throughout her body, causing it to react instinctively by returning the sweet kiss. Lost in her passion-induced haze was her rational thought. It fought for recognition, slowly breaking down all the barriers between it and her body. Poking, jabbing, slamming, then, "She doesn't love you," it told her.

Michiru pulled away, surprised to find Haruka's once alive lips now completely still. She regarded the other woman quizzically. "Haruka, what-"

"What are you doing?" the blonde breathed. She was amazed she could put together such a coherent thought. Damn, she had really enjoyed that kiss.

Michiru blinked her blue eyes in confusion. "I...I don't...I thought..."

"Why did you kiss me?" Haruka pressed, completely oblivious to the possibility that her "rationality" was actually just her insecurities taking voice.

The other woman's flawless face fell into a small frown. "I'm sorry," she whispered, getting to her feet. "I guess I read you wrong." She gracefully scooped up her dress and started back toward the palace, pulling the garment over her head.

Haruka sat beside the pond in a daze. Read her wrong? Did that mean what she thought it meant? Was it possible that after all these years Michiru had somehow come to love the boyish blonde? How could that be? She remembered the kiss by the pond before their interminably long separation and how desolate she'd felt afterward knowing it was meant for her brother. But this time...

"Michiru!" she yelled after her. When the other woman remained on her course Haruka scrambled to her feet and raced after her. Please oh please oh please oh please oh please oh please oh please oh please... "Michiru!" She finally caught up to her and reached out and grabbed her arm. "Michiru..."

The smaller woman stopped. "Haruka, I'm sorry," she murmured again, her voice close to tears. "Please, just let me go."

"No."

Michiru whirled on her, tears filling her deep blue eyes. "I'd rather not," she whispered.

It pained Haruka to see her like that, but they needed to understand a few things. "Michiru, we need to talk," she said quietly, firmly.

"Why?" Michiru cried. The tears streamed openly down her face now and Haruka silently damned herself for putting her through so much pain. "Why can't you just leave me alone?"

"I can't do that," Haruka told her flatly. "Not until we get a few things straight." She took a deep breath and prayed that her strength would not give out. "Michiru, do you remember that day back at the pond? When you kissed my brother?" Oh God, please remember...

"How could I forget?" she replied through her quieting tears.

Don't back down now, tell her tell her tell her tell her...

"That was me."

"I know."

Haruka froze, absolutely stunned. It wasn't possible, was it? "You...knew?" she repeated dumbly.

Michiru nodded and cast her gaze to the ground below, trying in vain to hide her new rise of emotion. Her trim body racked with the sobs she would not allow her friend to hear. "I--" she choked. 

"Michiru--"

"I--I'm sorry, Haruka. I never told you because...because..."

"Michiru, don't." She wanted to die.

"No! You hurt yourself that night and I was the cause of it! I was going to tell you, I was...but it was too late...and then when...when everything was getting back to normal I was going to tell you again, but my parents..."

Haruka instinctively and impulsively reached out and gathered the shivering woman in her arms, her own eyes threatening tears. Her action surprised her and had she been in control of her emotions she would not have done it, but instinct took over. She gently stroked the soft aqua hair and hushed her quietly. "Shhhh, Michiru...it's all right..." Though it was far from all right.

The Queen of Neptune buried her face in Haruka's shirt and slowly her quakes abated. When they finally stopped she pulled away from the warm and comfortable arms and smiled apologetically. 

Haruka wanted to slap herself for making such a rash action, but again, she wasn't in control. Is this what love was, losing control? She'd had it for so long she didn't like being the tool of some unknown force, especially one which demanded that she lose all coherent thought and act impulsively. Lack of control bred fear and helplessness, and dammit, she didn't want that. It was time to take the initiative. She only hoped that she was right. She reached out--tentatively at first, but quickly gaining steel--and gently wiped Michiru's tears away with her thumb and the fleshy part of her hand. 

The other woman's eyes widened slightly at the wonton touch, but a gentle smile soon played across her features and she cast her eyes demurely downward.

What next? Was Haruka supposed to say something? Her mind was completely blank. She was a woman of action, always had been...would action work? Well, it worked so far, she reminded herself. There was such a thing as going too far, however. Did Michiru push her limit? Haruka decided that she didn't, for though she was shocked by her actions and beat herself up about them afterwards she'd enjoyed them at the time. It was all about control.

Haruka reached out with her other hand and cupped her love's beautiful face in both, searching the woman's expression for any sign of discomfort. A soft smile tugged at the corner of her mouth and Haruka smiled herself. That was affirmation enough to keep going. She slowly slid her left hand down the side of the graceful neck before her until it came to rest on her shoulder, and shifted her other hand slightly until she could gain easy access to her...what? Only her body knew. Cool, calculated, she slowly, painfully leaned down. 

When their lips met, she idly wondered why she'd taken so long.

Michiru wrapped her arms about the blonde's neck and pulled herself into her embrace, deepening the kiss with such emotion that Haruka thought she might cry. It was fiery, it was passionate, it tingled every part of her body and made her soul weep for more, though she thought it could overcome her entirely. She returned the kiss with as much enthusiasm, if not more. She wanted Michiru to feel as good as she did.

She slid her hands from the other woman's neck and shoulder to her trim little waist and held her...HELD her as tightly as she could without causing her any discomfort. The sensation of Michiru's smaller body pressed against hers heightened her intoxication and forced her to pour more of herself into the kiss. Michiru responded by twining her agile musician's fingers in Haruka's blonde hair, which sent a shiver down her spine.

It could have lasted forever if oxygen wasn't a requirement for survival. Haruka regretfully pulled away and let out an explosive sigh and filled her lungs with much needed air. She was dizzy, but from the kiss or from her lack of oxygen, she wasn't sure. Throughout her haze one thought remained clear, however: She did it.

Michiru giggled quietly and nestled herself deep into Haruka's strong, protective arms. "That's the first time you've ever called me Michiru," she stated quietly.

"What?" Haruka was still reeling from the kiss and barely noticed what was said. "I thinking time you . . . that," she babbled.

The aqua-haired beauty giggled again against her chest and sighed, the weariness of the day finally settling in after the adrenaline rush. "The ball's probably over by now," she murmured sleepily and snuggled in more deeply.

"I'm sorry you missed it," Haruka whispered into her hair. This was all too good to be true.

Michiru smiled and closed her eyes. "No, you're not," she corrected.

"You're right. I'm not."

"Do you think we should go inside?"

"Do you want to?"

"It's not a question of what I want, Haruka," the little queen said, "but of what Madam Delta is going to do once she finds you deserted your own guests."

Haruka sighed and nodded in concession. "She'll have me doing laundry until I die of old age," she chuckled softly.

"Then I guess that means we should probably go inside."

The blonde reluctantly released her hold on her beautiful senshi and opened the door to the corridor. Peering inside, she found no one was around and held the door open for Michiru, who smiled her appreciation. They walked in comfortable silence until they reached the marble wing and their own rooms. They paused at number five, Haruka blushing slightly and Michiru with her ever-present enigmatic smile.

"So..." Haruka trailed.

"So."

"I guess I should be going back to my room now. Good night." She turned to leave but Michiru stopped her with a hand on her arm. The blonde turned back quickly, her heart in her throat.

Michiru reached up with her hand and brought the blonde's face down to her own for another kiss. It wasn't fiery like the first, but instead sweet and gentle and unquestionably intimate. Haruka had never wanted to cry so badly in her life.

When their lips parted Haruka wrapped her in a tight embrace and wrestled with an idea. She didn't know how her love would take it but nothing ventured, nothing gained. Everything ventured, everything could be lost, however. Oh, shit. Just do it.

"Do you...would you stay with me tonight?" She prepared herself for disappointment.

"I'd love to, Haruka," Michiru murmured, "but I have to get up early in the morning to rehearse for the concert tomorrow night."

Haruka nodded. Disappointment came, but in the least painful way possible.

Michiru pulled away and smiled apologetically before opening and slipping through her door into her darkened chamber.

Haruka watched her go, then let her forehead drop to the marble wall nearby. Stupid. She picked her forehead off the wall, then dropped it back. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Six more whacks and a slight headache later, Haruka heaved a sigh and walked the almost nonexistent distance to her own room and opened the door. Her hand froze to the knob when she looked up...and saw her beloved Michiru standing before her.

"I know that piece by heart," she explained quietly.

Haruka chuckled and closed the door.

*

In the royal drawing room Queen Serenity smiled slightly to herself and sipped from a glass of red wine. Her rather large and gruff guest sat morosely across from her, tearing a paper napkin into tiny pieces.

"They'll be all right, Madam Delta," the Queen told her reassuringly. "They're powerful senshi under my protection. No harm will come to them."

"You must warn them to be careful!" the governess urged. "My daughter was--"

"You were commoners in a disgusting little village that no longer exists. I mourn for your loss every day, my dear Madam, but I assure you...times have changed."

Madam Delta nodded, knowing her Queen's words to be true. "But what will the other girls think?" she asked.

"Somehow I think they'll cope with the loss of the handsomest 'man' in the palace."

"I worry about her. That's all."

"You always did play favorites."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dang, Michiru, you thirsty.
> 
> I was gonna put a Moonie Code here as a nod to the 90s fandom, but I got a quarter of the way through it before I wanted to throw my keyboard out the window. I don't know how we all wrote and read them back then. [Try making your own!](http://home.arcor.de/minako.aino/mooniecode.html)


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember when fanfic omakes were cool? No? Me, uh, neither.

It had been two days since the ball and Sentryman 079 still couldn't believe his eyes. He rubbed them for a full two minutes after the initial shock set in, but the image was burned into his memory. What a sight. He'd never seen anything like it in his life, and he rather fancied himself a sort of connoisseur in the subject. If the other guards weren't there to see it for themselves they would have called him a liar, too. He even woke up that night from a dream about it. Who the hell knew? It wasn't impossible, he supposed, but everyone thought it improbable. Including him. There was no way anyone could tell underneath all...that. Holy hell.

That Princess of Uranus had a damn nice rack.

It wasn't like she was unattractive or anything. Quite the opposite, really, in an oddly androgynous way. She had curves in all the right places (nice ones, at that) and green cat-like eyes. And she was blonde. A cute little package all tied up in this men's clothing bunk that made her look like her loser brother. Sentryman 079 would give his left...*ahem*...to hit the cocky jerk in that pretty face of his.

That was it. He'd made up his mind. He was going to do something that no one else had even dared to accomplish. He was going to go against the masses, suck in his gut, and pull a stiff upper lip. He was going to show the world exactly what that girl was and then brag afterward that he was the one to do it. He was going to be rid of this pesky little menace called a good reputation for once and for all, for he was going to BAG THE PRINCESS OF URANUS!

With this spine-tingling (and other-body-part-tingling) goal in mind, he smiled smugly to himself and set his tray down on the table. He could do this. He was brave. He'd stopped many a suspicious-looking royal dignitary at the front gates in his day. With all the self-confidence of George W. Bush in a sibling's state full of uneducated octogenarians who play bingo all day and couldn't read a lousy ballot to save their lives, he strolled up to his gorgeous quarry in the mess line and effectively obstructed her path by placing his trunk-like body in front of her. He knew just what to say. He'd planned it all out. Girls of her calibre wanted to be controlled. He simply reeked of testosterone.

"Hey, pretty boy," he teased good-naturedly.

Unamused green eyes met his dull brown, but that didn't stop him. Oh, far from it. This girl was tough, but it was all a front. She really needed to be put in her place, Queen's senshi or no. He leaned toward her, grinning all the while.

"What say you and I skip lunch and find something better to do with our time?" he nearly purred. Yeah, he was smooth. A real lady-killer. Hell yeah.

"What?" 

His grin broadened. She was playing dumb! Oh, she could be so cold. Somehow her heartlessness only made him want her more. "You know what I'm getting at. I want to find out more about what you keep hidden underneath all that clothing."

Silence conquered the room as all eyes turned toward them and the blonde stared in shock.

"What did you say?"

Ooh, deadly voice. Deadly, sexy voice. A deadly, sexy voice that he'd like to hear elevated five decibels in pure, unadulterated ecstasy. The fact that she was still considered a minor and that he was in his twenties and she was royalty of the highest regard didn't phase him in the least. She may have been all that, but she was, after all, still a woman with womanly needs. And who better to fulfill those needs than himself, a glorious specimen such as he was?

"You heard me," he crooned. "Let's get lost in my blankets and never find our way back."

A fire sparked in the eyes before him and he grinned. This was it. All his wildest dreams and desires were about to come true. She wanted him.

The next thing Sentryman 079 knew was pain. Sheer, profound, and utterly unfathomable pain. It emanated from his left cheek and throbbed its way down his spine and back up to nestle at start. He looked about himself in a daze. It was then that he realized that he was sitting on the floor, the angry blonde looming above him furiously and flexing her right hand. What a woman. He would have grinned if it didn't hurt like a you-know-what.

Her annoying twin brother walked into the room then and blinked upon seeing him on the floor with his sister growling angrily above. Great, he was definitely going to get it now, but it was small price to pay if he'd made an impression.

"Orion," Prince Orion began with a chuckle, "just because I socked you doesn't mean you have to go around ruining everyone else's faces."

Orion?

"But Uri," Princess Uranus growled, "he hit on me! The jerk HIT on ME!"

Uri?

If the room was silent before, one could hear a pin hit the floor in the hallway as realization dawned on everyone present simultaneously.

The real princess arched an eyebrow at the fallen soldier before her and grinned broadly. "The other princesses are going to be very angry with you when they learn you tried to steal their man, you know," she told him pointedly. "I hope you have a tough hide."

Sentryman 079's eyes widened. It was impossible. He couldn't...he didn't...

"079 hit on a guy!" someone randomly exclaimed from the back of the room.

Son of a bitch. He did.

He scrambled to his feet as the room erupted into hysterical laughter. He looked about himself wildly, and, finally discovering the exit, fled with the voices of his comrades' mockery ringing like clashing swords in his oversized ears.

Princess Uranus turned a curious eye to her brother after watching the spectacle, but he only shrugged. Class was in a half hour, and if they knew what was good for them they'd finish their lunches quickly and laugh about everything later. And boy, would they laugh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am an embarrassment.
> 
> I swear I'm a much better writer now, even though I took a thirteen-year hiatus. Personal growth works miracles.
> 
> To the new folks: thanks for reading. To the old guard: I hope you enjoyed this trip down memory lane with me.
> 
> Byeeee!


End file.
